LIBRARY 

University   of   Califomb" 

IRVINE^ 


BY  " 

CONSTANCE  D'ARCY  MACKAY 

4 

THE  LITTLE  THEATRE  IN  THE 

UNITED  STATES 

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COSTUMES   AND    SCENERY   FOR 

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HOW  TO  PRODUCE  CHILDREN'S 

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PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 
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PATRIOTIC  PLAYS  AND  PAGEANTS 
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HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 

PUILIfHIKS  NlW  YOMC 


PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN 
YOUR  TOWN 

A  Manual  of  Suggestions 


BY 

CONSTANCE   D'ARCY   MACKAY 

Author  of  "The  Little  Theatre  in  the  United  States," 
"Patriotic  Plays  and  Pageants,"  etc.,  etc. 


NEW  YORK 

HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 
1918 


PN 


COPYRIGHT,  1918, 

BY 

HENRY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


Remember  .  .  .  that  behind  officers  and  govern- 
ment and  people  even,  there  is  the  country  herself, 
your  country;  and  that  you  belong  to  her. 

EDWARD  EVERETT  HALE, 
in  The  Man  Without  a  Country. 

We  must  have  but  one  flag.  We  must  also  have 
but  one  language.  This  must  be  the  language  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  .  .  .  We  cannot 
tolerate  any  attempt  to  oppose  or  supplant  the  lan- 
guage and  culture  that  has  come  down  to  us  from 
the  builders  of  this  Republic  with  the  language  and 
culture  of  any  European  country. 

The  greatness  of  this  nation  depends  on  the  swift 
assimilation  of  the  aliens  she  welcomes  to  her  shores. 

PRESIDENT  WILSON. 

The  crucible  must  melt  all  who  are  cast  in  it;  it 
must  turn  them  out  in  one  American  mold ;  and  this 
must  be  the  mold  shaped  one  hundred  and  forty 
years  ago  by  the  men  who  under  Washington 
founded  this  a  free  nation  separate  from  all  other 
nations. 

From  Children  of  the  Crucible,  by 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT. 
September,  1917. 


PREFACE 

THIS  little  book  contains  patriotic  dramatic 
material  for  use  in  American  communities, 
as  well  as  a  plea  for  Americanization  through 
drama:  it  strives  to  suggest,  not  to  dogma- 
tize; to  point  the  way  rather  than  to  declare 
it.  Practicality  is  its  chief  aim.  It  endeavors 
to  set  before  its  readers  a  brief  outline  of 
what  could  be  accomplished  along  the  lines 
of  drama  in  all  OUT  cities  where  dramatic 
work  is  stirring  but  unfocused. 

The  World  War  has  shown  us  that  drama 
is  a  necessity  in  the  lives  of  our  people. 
Army  and  Navy,  Church  and  State,  Hos- 
pital and  Recreative  Council,  Y.M.C.A.  and 
Y.W.C.A.  are  turning  to  it  as  to  an  ally. 
Every  Military  and  Red  Cross  parade  has  af- 
firmed its  power,  "  the  thing  made  manifest 
before  the  eyes  of  the  people." 


vi  PREFACE 

And  as  Americanization  is  to  be  our  watch- 
word now  and  in  the  days  that  are  coming, 
what  can  make  for  solidarity  more  swiftly 
and  effectively  than  the  art  of  drama?  What 
can  more  quickly  and  vividly  make  our  his- 
tory real  to  the  foreign-born  within  our 
midst?  How  shall  they  learn  patriotism  save 
through  participation?  How  shall  they  as- 
similate our  language  save  through  the 
spoken  word? 

National  and  Patriotic  Leagues,  schools, 
settlements,  civic  and  social  centers  have  come 
to  feel  that  this  is  true. 

The  World  War  has  kindled  a  greater  love 
for  drama  than  we  have  ever  had  before:  it 
has  revealed  its  power  for  service  as  well  as 
for  recreation.  We  cannot  let  this  power 
die.  After  the  war  it  must  go  on.  It  must 
continue  to  be  a  force  for  patriotism  and 
solidarity.  But  it  needs  direction. 

Therefore  this  little  book  has  striven  to 
make  a  few  suggestions  on  the  subject  of 
Americanization  through  Drama;  A  City's 
Unification  through  Drama;  to  give  a  brief 


PREFACE  vii 

survey  of  some  of  the  work  toward  this  end 
done  through  pageantry,  and  by  indoor  and 
outdoor  community  theatres;  it  also  contains 
a  chart  or  dramatic  program  of  progress  for 
cities  wishing  to  make  their  plans  ahead. 
And  lastly  it  contains  dramatic  material  and 
suggestions  for  Patriotic  Celebrations  for 
National  Holidays,  such  as  Fourth  of  July, 
etc.,  and  for  Community  Celebrations  for 
Christmas. 

The  bibliography  has  been  founded  on 
drama  lists  prepared  by  the  author  for  the 
Junior  Red  Cross  and  for  Patriotic  Play 
Week  for  rural  communities  as  organized 
by  the  War  Camp  Community  Service. 

Very  valuable  and  helpful  lists  of  plays  are 
prepared  by  the  Drama  League  of  America, 
Riggs  Building,  Washington,  D.  C.  The 
Drama  League  is  working  to  make  appre- 
ciative audiences,  and  reaching  every  part 
of  the  country.  Anyone  can  join  by  send- 
ing one  dollar,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
every  reader  of  this  book  has  joined,  or 
will. 


viii  PREFACE 

Thanks  are  due  to  The  American  City, 
The  Woman's  Magazine,  The  Churchman, 
and  The  Popular  Educator  for  their  kind 
permission  to  reprint  the  material  in  this 
book. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I     AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA   .         3 

II     THE    UNIFICATION    OF    YOUR    TOWN 

THROUGH  DRAMA       .,       iv       ,.        .        15 

HI  DRAMA  CHART  OR  PROGRAM  OF  PROG- 
RESS .......  ..,  33 

IV     THE   LITTLE   INDEPENDENT    THEATRE 

AND  YOUR  TOWN       .        .        .        .,       46 

V     THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT   .        .        .;       62 

VI     How    TO    ORGANIZE    AN    HISTORICAL 

PAGEANT 75 

VII     THE    OUTDOOR    THEATRE    AND    YOUR 

TOWN 91 

VIII  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  PATRIOTIC  CELEBRA- 
TIONS OF  FOURTH  OF  JULY  AND 
OTHER  NATIONAL  HOLIDAYS  .  .  98 

IX  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  CHRISTMAS  COMMU- 
NITY CELEBRATIONS  AROUND  THE 
TREE  OF  LIGHT  .  .  >;  .  .  123 


PATRIOTIC   DRAMA   IN   YOUR 
TOWN 


I 

AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA 

PERHAPS  because  the  very  essence  of 
drama  is  struggle  it  has  taken  the 
World  War,  the  greatest  struggle  of 
all  history,  to  reveal  the  place  in  our  national 
life  which  drama  has  suddenly  come  to  oc- 
cupy. The  art  which  Puritanism  crushed  and 
denied  has  now  become  one  of  the  mightiest 
forces  making  for  democracy,  a  force  that 
has  entered  so  deeply  into  the  heart  of  Amer- 
ica that  never  again  can  it  be  relegated  to  the 
place  it  once  held.  Its  power  will  keep  on 
growing  long  after  the  war  is  over.  What 
it  has  done  in  war  time  is  vastly  significant: 
what  it  can  do  when  the  war  is  over  is  even 
more  significant.  If  in  war  time  the  drama 
has  revealed  itself  as  possessing  two  great 
powers,  the  power  of  service  and  the  power 
of  re-creation  (which  is  what  the  word 
recreation  really  means),  what  may  it  not 


4        PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

reveal  in  the  days  that  are  coming — in  the 
days  after  the  war? 

Never  before  has  the  need  of  imaginative 
recreation  been  so  universally  recognized. 
And  the  present  holds  the  promise  of  the 
future.  One  has  only  to  see  what  has  been 
done  to  realize  what  may  be  done,  since  the 
drama  is  an  art  that  is  forever  young,  that  has 
within  itself  the  magic  of  infinite  renewal. 

Therefore,  before  looking  futureward  it 
may  be  well  to  glance  at  a  brief  summary 
of  what  has  already  been  accomplished.  And 
first  of  all  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  the 
achievement  of  making  the  abstract  become 
the  concrete  the  drama  leads  all  other  arts. 
It  can  swiftly  and  poignantly  drive  home  a 
truth.  It  can  liberate  the  imagination  and 
make  people  see. 

A  greensward  on  which  Jeanne  D'Arc  is 
kneeling,  her  face  uplift,  exalted,  the  sword 
of  France  in  her  hand.  What  is  this  but 
patriotism  made  manifest  to  the  multitude 
through  drama? 

The  tramp  of  marching  feet:  long  lines  of 


AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA       5 

men  in  khaki:  the  heart-lifting  strains  of  a 
military  march:  a  starry  banner,  blowing  in 
the  wind.  What  is  this  but  the  spirit  of 
America  made  manifest  to  the  multitude 
through  pageantry,  one  of  the  most  ancient 
forms  of  drama? 

General  Pershing  has  declared  that  imagi- 
native recreation  is  necessary  for  the  morale 
of  the  American  troops  abroad,  and  the 
"  Over  There  Theatre  "  is  promptly  organ- 
ized. For  the  first  time  in  history  army  and 
navy  and  church  and  hospital  are  looking  to 
this  power  as  an  ally,  are  one  in  declaring 
that  drama  is  what  the  soldier  and  sailor  off 
duty  must  have. 

What  has  wiled  away  the  tedium  of  camp 
and  barrack,  of  convalescent  ward  and  trans- 
port? Drama. 

On  what  has  the  Y.M.C.A.  placed  most 
reliance  for  its  recreative  entertainment? 
Drama.* 

*This  has  also  become  true  of  the  Y.W.C.A.  Pageants, 
festivals,  and  plays  have  become  part  of  their  national  recrea- 
tive program;  in  all  places  where  women  and  girl  workers  are 
employed  in  great  numbers,  drama  is  the  keynote  of  social 
solidarity;  rehearsals  taking  place  after  working  hours. 


6        PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

It  is  not  only  in  military  but  in  civil  life 
that  this  need  is  felt.  The  War  Camp  Com- 
munity Service,  organized  by  the  United 
States  Government  to  deal  with  the  problem 
of  the  soldier's  leisure  outside  the  camps,  finds 
in  drama  one  of  the  answers  to  the  query: 
With  what  shall  we  fill  the  soldier's  leisure 
hours? 

In  all  large  cities  Summer  Play  Schools 
have  been  organized  to  keep  the  children  of 
soldiers  from  the  demoralizing  influence  of 
playing  on  the  streets  while  their  mothers 
are  at  work.  "He  fights.  She  works. 
Meanwhile,  what  becomes  of  the  children? " 
In  all  these  Play  Schools  patriotic  drama  al- 
ready has  its  place  as  part  of  the  day's  pro- 
gram. 

Nor  is  this  all.  What  has  helped  to  speed 
up  recruiting,  Liberty  Loans,  Red  Cross 
drives,  Food  and  Health  conservation?  What 
eliminated  three  thousand  miles  of  space? 
What  brought  "  The  Front "  to  our  very 
doors,  so  that  we  could  see  and  feel  the  im- 
mensity of  the  struggle?  What  made  "No 


AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA       7 

Man's  Land  "  into  "  Every  Man's  Land " 
for  those  of  us  here  at  home?  Drama,  and 
nothing  else  but  drama.  Everywhere, 
through  every  aspect  of  the  war,  drama  is 
resurgent. 

It  is  a  paradox  that  at  present  the  silent 
drama  speaks  to  the  largest  audience.  And 
the  service  rendered  by  the  movies  in  war 
time  cannot  be  overestimated.  That  the  si- 
lent drama  has  proved  itself  of  immense 
practical  value  no  one  can  deny.  But  if  we 
are  to  become  now  and  hereafter  an  articu- 
late nation  then  we  need  articulate  drama 
more  than  inarticulate  drama.  Therefore  all 
that  is  done  along  the  lines  of  articulate 
drama  is  of  greater  import  though  it 
reaches  a  minority  rather  than  a  majority 
audience.  For  in  time  the  minority  audi- 
ence must  become  the  majority  audience,  or 
the  drama  will  have  failed  of  its  full  birth- 
right of  splendor. 

War  has  revealed  our  national  greatness. 
It  has  also  revealed  our  national  weaknesses. 
And  chief  among  these  weaknesses  is  the 


8        PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

lack  of  national  solidarity.  Our  American 
citizens  have  not  been  American  enough:  our 
foreign  citizens  after  years  in  this  country, 
are  still — our  foreign  citizens. 

The  war  has  begun  the  welding:  after  the 
war  the  work  of  Americanization  must  go  on. 
Throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
country  patriotic  leagues  and  societies  are 
being  formed  to  bring  this  about.  The 
democracy  of  the  world  has  been  in  danger; 
it  will  be  won  back  at  a  terrific  cost.  And  in 
order  that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in 
vain  all  that  they  fought  for  must  continue 
to  be  held  before  the  eyes  of  the  American 
people.  Through  school  and  church  and  set- 
tlement, through  patriotic  leagues,  through 
social  and  civic  centers  this  work  of  Ameri- 
canization must  go  on.  The  ideal  for  which 
thousands  of  men  are  giving  their  lives  must 
not  be  allowed  to  perish.  And  it  is  in  this 
work  of  Americanization  that  the  drama 
will  be  teacher,  interpreter,  commemorator. 
It  will  be  drama  by  Americans  for  Amer- 
icans. 


AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA       9 

Americanization  through  drama  will  be 
part  of  the  program  of  every  club,  school, 
settlement,  and  social  center.  It  will  be  part 
of  the  work  of  every  Little  Independent  The- 
atre and  a  major  part  of  the  work  of  every 
civic  celebration  in  every  city  throughout  the 
country.  Americanization  may  or  may  not 
be  emphasized  in  the  professional  theatre; 
but  in  all  drama  that  is  of  the  people,  by  the 
people,  for  the  people  it  will  have  a  perma- 
nent place.  This  was  presaged  even  before 
the  war  when  Little  Independent  Theatres 
such  as  those  of  Detroit,  Michigan;  Gales- 
burg,  Illinois;  Kansas  City,  Kansas;  Water- 
loo, Iowa;  and  the  Wisconsin  Players,  called 
for  plays  by  local  playwrights  interpretative 
of  the  life  of  the  district  in  which  these  Little 
Independent  Theatres  were  situated;  plays 
that  would  make  for  local  patriotism  and 
quickened  interest. 

And,  strangely  enough,  amongst  the  vast 
destructive  things  that  this  war  has  done,  it 
may  accomplish  something  constructive  for 
American  drama  by  developing  plays  about 


10      PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

American  life.  And  this  is  something  of 
which  we  are  deeply  in  need.  For  where 
are  the  playwrights  who  interpret  the  folk 
of  our  seacoast  as  Synge  interpreted  the  wild 
west  coast  of  Ireland?  Where  are  our  play- 
wrights who  give  us  plays  of  our  manufac- 
turing cities  that  have  the  smack  and  tang 
of  the  work  of  Harold  Brighouse  or  Stanley 
Houghton?  There  are  a  host  of  well-made 
ephemeral  American  plays  dealing  with  dif- 
ferent sections  of  this  country  that  give  us  the 
outside  but  not  the  inside  of  the  thing  they 
interpret.  They  are  plays  of  plot  rather  than 
of  character.  There  is  no  deep  racial  feel- 
ing manifest  in  them.  Where  are  the  play- 
wrights who  do  for  America  what  the  Irish 
playwrights  and  Players  have  done  for  Ire- 
land, or  what  the  Manchester  School  has 
done  for  England?  Here  and  there,  in 
American  one-act  plays  such  as  Susan  Glas- 
pell's  study  of  Mid-western  farm  life  called 
Trifles,  in  some  of  Percy  Mackaye's  Yankee 
Fantasies,  in  brief  plays  by  Zona  Gale  and 
Alice  Brown,  in  the  terse,  trenchant  sea 


AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA     11 

studies  of  Eugene  O'Neill  America  is  find- 
ing her  realistic  interpreters. 

Even  before  we  entered  into  the  war  sev- 
eral Little  Independent  Theatres  like  that 
of  Cleveland,  stressed  the  socializing  force  of 
the  drama;  for  in  Cleveland  it  is  planned  to 
make  the  Little  Theatre  a  center  for  the  art 
of  its  foreign-born  as  well  as  its  American 
citizens,  realizing  that  to  create  and  appre- 
ciate in  common  accord  makes  for  true  civic 
solidarity. 

Pageant  after  pageant  has  already  shown 
the  struggle,  the  self-sacrifice,  the  valor  by 
which  our  nation  was  upbuilt.  Everything 
that  makes  the  people  of  a  nation  work  to- 
gether, play  together  and  appreciate  to- 
gether, is  a  national  asset.  Our  recent 
Fourth  of  July  Celebrations,  our  Christmas 
Community  Celebrations  are  movements  in 
this  direction — movements  that  strengthen  na- 
tional ties  just  as  family  reunions  strengthen 
family  ties.  These  gatherings  are  to  the 
cities  what  Old  Home  Week  is  to  little  New 
England  towns.  And  it  is  at  these  celebra- 


12       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

tions  that  the  ideal  of  democracy  can  be  kept 
shining,  alike  through  precept  and  through 
practice.  These  are  the  times,  when  people 
are  stirred  and  emotionally  united,  that  ideas 
can  be  driven  home. 

The  most  unlettered  immigrant  can  under- 
stand the  symbol  of  America  lifting  the  bur- 
den from  the  back  of  the  oppressed  of  other 
nations  who  come  to  dwell  beneath  her  flag. 
He  will  understand  what  it  means  to  see  the 
chains  of  autocracy  struck  off  by  the  strength 
of  democracy.  He  will  realize  what  it  means 
when  Liberty  and  Opportunity  bid  the  alien 
newcomer  welcome.  And  this  will  be  the 
moment  to  ask  the  foreign-born  collectively 
and  individually  what  gifts  of  heart  and  soul, 
of  loyalty  and  service  they  bring  to  America 
in  return  for  what  she  has  given  them. 

Our  national  holidays,  our  days  of  com- 
memoration or  festival, — days  like  the  Fourth 
of  July  and  Labor  Day  and  Christmas  will, 
in  the  years  that  are  coming,  take  on  new 
significance.  They  will  become  Americaniza- 
tion days.  And  because  of  them  every  city 


AMERICANIZATION  THROUGH  DRAMA      13 

in  this  land  will  have  its  stadium  or  outdoor 
theatre,  as  well  as  its  Independent  Theatre. 
Each  city  will  work  out  its  own  dramatic 
plan  or  schedule;  for  these  celebrations  must 
not  be  allowed  to  become  stale.  They  must 
not  be  repetitious. 

This  can  be  avoided  by  accenting  different 
holidays  on  different  years;  using  different 
civic  groups  each  year,  and  by  having  very 
simple  celebrations  some  years,  with  more 
elaborate  celebrations  occurring  at  intervals 
of  four  or  five  years. 

Nor  must  certain  forms  of  drama  be  made 
monotonous  by  too  frequent  use.  Every- 
thing depends  on  keeping  this  impulse  fresh 
and  glowing.  It  is  not  alone  the  pageant 
and  the  play  that  must  be  used ;  but  all  forms 
of  drama — the  festival,  the  pantomime,  the 
masque;  dance-drama;  processional;  and  sim- 
ple folk  celebrations. 

The  art  workers  of  every  city  will  find 
scope  for  their  patriotic  powers  through  serv- 
ing the  art  that  includes  all  arts,  the  art  of 
drama.  Music,  light,  color,  dance  that  is  like 


14       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

rhythmic  sculpture — all  these  will  be  co-ordi- 
nated. And  it  is  well  that  it  should  be  so. 
For,  however  we  may  hide  our  eyes  from  the 
fact,  commercialism  is  our  national  blot  on 
the  'scutcheon.  And  only  through  the  love 
of  beauty  which  is  the  love  of  art  can  com- 
mercialism be  overcome.  Art  is  forever  the 
foe  of  commercialism,  and  until  a  love  of  it 
seeps  through  all  classes  of  society  we  can- 
not cease  to  become  a  commercial  country. 
Until  we  come  permanently  to  care  for  the 
immaterial  rather  than  the  material,  for  the 
imperishable  rather  than  the  perishable,  the 
blot  on  the  'scutcheon  cannot  be  removed. 
And  for  the  sake  of  our  national  honor  we 
cannot  let  it  remain.  We  must  make  the 
word  Americanism  mean  more  than  it  ever 
has  before.  And  drama,  the  most  dynamic 
of  the  arts,  stands  ready  to  help  us.  These 
war  years  have  proved  that  it  is  vital  to  our 
national  life.  It  was  through  national  fervor 
that  the  drama  first  had  its  birth.  We  have 
ignored  its  power  too  long. 


II 


THE  UNIFICATION  OF  YOUR  TOWN 
THROUGH  DRAMA 

WHY  is  it  that  when  it  has  been  proved 
time  and  time  again — and  now  most 
of  all — that  drama  is  a  dynamic 
force  that  we  either  neglect  it  altogether  or 
make  such  futile  and  sporadic  use  of  it  in  the 
life  of  our  towns  and  cities  ?  Why  is  it  that  all 
that  could  be  done  through  drama  is  con- 
sciously or  unconsciously  neglected?  Why 
is  it  that  this  force  has  never  been  put  to 
use  as  a  power  for  Americanism?  Why  is  it 
that  several  places  that  have  made  an  effort 
in  this  direction  quickly  weary  of  well  doing, 
and  give  up  the  work  after  the  first  few  at- 
tempts, where  the  foundations  are  only  half 
laid? 

There  are  several  reasons,  all  of  which  ap- 
pear to  be  real  reasons.    Let  us  make  a  list 

15 


16       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

of  them,  standing  them  up  like  nine  pins, 
against  which  we  shall  later  roll  the  ball  of 
common  sense,  trusting  that  they  will  go 
down  before  it  as  most  obstacles  do.  In 
other  words,  since  something  is  lacking,  let 
us  take  up  these  dramatic  Lacks  and  Diffi- 
culties, and  answer  them  categorically,  one 
by  one. 

1.  The  first  and  most  portentous  difficulty 
seems  to  be  the  lack  of  a  definite  dramatic 
program,  covering  a  space  of  years,  each  step 
in  this  program  leading  logically  to  the  next. 

2.  Lack  of  Co-ordination. 

3.  Lack  of  Vision. 

4.  Lack  of  a    Centralizing    Point    where 
plans  can  be  discussed. 

5.  Lack  of  Leadership. 

6.  Lack  of  Time. 

7.  Lack  of  Money. 

8.  Lack  of  Initiative. 

9.  Lack  of  an  Art  Standard. 

10.  Willingness  to  take  something  "just 
as  good." 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         1? 

Let  us  proceed  against  these  difficulties: — 
1.  Lack  of  Definite  Program. 

Many  cities  have  been  unified  through  a 
pageant,  a  masque,  a  festival,  or  a  great  out- 
door play  wherein  large  numbers  of  people 
have  participated,  and  then  this  plan  has  been 
dropped.  Now  to  give  a  play  or  pageant  of 
this  scope  every  year  is  too  exhausting. 
Moreover,  even  though  splendidly  done  such 
a  thing  becomes  monotonous,  and  under  mo- 
notony enthusiasm  dies,  inspiration  ceases. 

It  is  a  wise  and  wonderful  thing  to  be  will- 
ing to  begin  with  little  and  work  toward 
more.  The  trouble  is  in  this  country  that  too 
many  cities,  dramatically  speaking,  begin 
with  much  and  work  back  to  little.  The  re- 
sult is  an  appalling  dramatic  waste — waste 
of  effort,  time,  and  spirit  that  with  a  future- 
looking  plan  could  so  readily  be  conserved. 
What  is  needed  is  a  dramatic  chart  or  pro- 
gram. This  program  can  be  compared  to  a 
necklace  in  which  large  beads  alternate  with 
small  beads:  yet  the  whole  necklace,  because 
it  has  been  definitely  planned  and  the  beads 


18       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

strung  in  accordance  with  that  plan,  will  have 
charm,  unity,  significance. 


•DoQCUoooCZloooCZloo  Q* 

The  small  beads  represent  the  small  but 
significant  dramatic  unifications  which  occur 
during  a  series  of  consecutive  years:  the  large 
beads  represent  the  large  civic  festivals  which 
occur  at  intervals.  All  are  strung  on  one 
cord:  each  is  a  uniting  link  leading  to  the 
next  link. 

What  could  be  simpler  or  more  easy  of  ac- 
complishment than  to  have  a  definite  chart 
or  program  that  would  be  a  civic  necklace? 

The  beads  may  vary  in  carving  and  color, 
as  do  the  beads  of  the  Orient.  But  the  final 
effect  must  have  oneness  and  symmetry. 

And  this  is  what  a  dramatic  chart  can  help 
to  do. 

The  chart  must  be  planned  so  that  mo- 
notony will  be  avoided;  so  that  the  burden 
does  not  fall  year  after  year  on  the  same 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         19 

group;  so  that  unification  and  through  this 
Americanization  can  be  striven  for;  so  that 
time,  money,  and  energy  will  be  conserved; 
so  that  local  and  group  patriotism  will  be 
stirred  to  the  utmost;  so  that  a  high  art 
standard  will  be  reached  and  maintained. 

Then,  too,  this  chart  must  be  arranged  so 
that  it  will  interest  the  youth  of  the  com- 
munity as  well  as  the  older  people;  so  that 
it  will  appeal  to  both  cultivated  and  unculti- 
vated, sophisticate  and  unsophisticate. 

As  far  as  the  author  knows  no  municipal 
dramatic  charts  have  as  yet  been  published, 
and  the  one  that  is  given  in  this  book  is 
placed  here  merely  as  a  suggestion  and  not 
in  a  spirit  of  dogmatizing;  for,  as  has  been 
said  in  the  preface,  this  is  a  Manual  of  Sug- 
gestion. 

2.  Lack  of  Co-ordination:  Lack  of  Knowl- 
edge of  How  to  Unify  a  Town  Through 
Drama:  Lack  of  Knowledge  as  to  How 
the  Work  of  Americanization  Can  Be 
Set  Afoot. 


20       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

The  unification  of  a  city  through  drama  is 
not  a  new  idea.  Every  military  parade,  every 
Red  Cross  procession,  every  Labor  Day 
parade,  and  every  Historical  Pageant  has  in 
it  the  power  of  unification.  And  in  that  uni- 
fication Americanization  is  latent. 

An  idea  seems  to  be  abroad  in  the  land 
that  in  order  to  unify  towns  through  drama 
there  must  be  a  continual  succession  of 
pageants  or  festivals  in  which  at  least  half 
or  a  quarter  of  the  town  participates.  Noth- 
ing could  be  further  from  the  fact.  A  large 
pageant  or  festival  has  amazing  unifying 
power.  Yet  in  ratio  so  has  a  play  that  can 
be  repeated  in  every  part  of  the  town  until 
its  message  has  seeped  through  the  very  life 
of  the  community. 

Different  holidays  can  be  emphasized:  dif- 
ferent groups  made  responsible  for  their 
dramatic  quota  in  succeeding  years. 

One  year  it  may  be  the  city's  patriotic 
societies;  next  its  dramatic  clubs;  or  its  for- 
eign citizen  leagues;  or  its  high  schools  and 
local  colleges  and  academies.  Or  it  may  be 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA        21 

the  combined  efforts  of  adult  foreign-born 
citizens  one  year,  and  little  citizens  the  next. 
The  churches,  the  settlements,  the  art  guilds 
can  each  have  their  year.  A  thorough  unifi- 
cation will  depend  on  the  Dramatic  Chart. 
The  technique  of  dramatic  unification  differs 
with  the  size  of  the  town.  The  largest  city 
has  naturally  the  most  problems  to  solve. 
Group  pride,  group  effort,  group  enthusiasm, 
group  patriotism  must  be  roused.  The  spirit 
of  the  guild  workers  of  the  Middle  Ages,  of 
the  cathedral  builders,  artists  and  artisans, 
can  be  turned  in  our  age  into  dramatic  chan- 
nels. 

From  a  practical  point  of  view  Ameri- 
canization will  most  quickly  be  gained  by 
knowing  what  your  city  most  needs  to  Ameri- 
canize it,  or  to  lift  it:  and  then  setting  this 
thing  before  the  citizens  by  dramatic  emphasis. 
Emphasize  this  idea  or  ideal.  Hammer  at  it. 
Point  it.  Underscore  it.  Drive  it  home. 

In  order  to  do  this  you  will  have  to  empha- 
size one  idea  at  a  time  instead  of  half  a 
dozen  different  ideas.  Unify  the  city  each 


22       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

year  through  a  definite  dramatic  object. 
And  this  holds  good  in  both  the  large  and 
the  small  town. 

In  cities  both  large  and  small  too  many 
dramatic  groups  work  independently  of  each 
other.  There  is  no  pulling  together  of  all 
the  threads,  no  oneness  of  impression.  There 
are  a  dozen  different  goals  instead  of  one 
goal. 

3.  Lack  of  Vision. 

This  lack  comes  largely  from  not  being 
able  to  plan  ahead :  to  see  what  has  been  done 
as  a  basis  for  what  might  be  done.  But 
through  the  tremendous  Renaissance  of  pa- 
triotic drama  that  is  going  on  at  present  this 
lack  is  fast  disappearing. 

4.  Lack    of    a    Centralizing    Place    Where 

Plans  Can  Be  Discussed. 

If   your   town   is   to   be   unified   through 

drama  there  must  be  some  place  of  creative 

atmosphere    where    artists    and    art    workers 

can  meet  to  discuss  their  plans;  where  charts, 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         23 

diagrams,  books,  and  catalogues  can  be  kept. 
There  must  be  a  central  gathering  place. 
The  towns  that  have  accomplished  the  most 
along  these  lines — Detroit,  Galesburg,  Cleve- 
land, and  others — have  central  gathering 
places.  The  spirit  of  Drama  must  have  a 
home.  House  it,  and  it  will  begin  to  work 
miracles.  Therefore  a  Little  Independent 
Theatre  or  an  Outdoor  Theatre  is  a  prime 
necessity.  You  can  begin  with  one  or  the 
other.  Later,  as  the  work  grows,  you  will 
have  to  have  both. 

5.   Lack  of  Leadership. 

Lack  of  leadership  will  cease  in  any  town 
as  soon  as  the  drama  is  given  a  home.  A 
theatre  draws  art  workers  to  it  as  with  a 
magnet.  Out  of  the  work  done  a  local  leader 
will  arise;  or  a  group  of  leaders;  or  as  in 
the  case  of  Detroit,  there  will  be  a  "  Dra- 
matic Engineer "  summoned  by  the  com- 
munity from  some  other  place.  So  far  in 
this  country  "dramatic  engineers"  are  few; 
yet  the  list  is  growing. 


24       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Lack  of  leadership  often  comes  from  lack 
of  a  dramatic  center  in  which  leadership  can 
develop. 

6.  Lack  of  Time    (Fatigue). 

Often  a  town  will  fail  to  make  the  most 
of  its  dramatic  opportunities  because  its  citi- 
zens who  should  be  leaders  plead  lack  of 
time.  But  it  can  be  pointed  out  to  them 
that  a  dramatic  schedule  or  chart  saves  time. 

Because  of  the  remembered  fatigue  con- 
nected with  some  large  festival  people  are 
often  inimical  to  communal  drama.  This  is 
because  a  plan  embracing  small  efforts  has 
not  been  made  clear  to  them.  When  it  is 
made  clear  to  them  that  their  services  will  be 
required  only  in  certain  years  this  feeling  will 
vanish. 

7.  Lack  of  Money. 

This  plea,  one  of  the  oftenest  made  next 
to  lack  of  time,  is  utterly  preposterous  when 
what  is  at  stake  is  considered:  is  worse  than 
preposterous  when  one  considers  that  such 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         25 

a  dynamic  group  as  the  Washington  Square 
Players  began  with  a  thousand  dollars  capi- 
tal: a  sum  which  has  served  to  start  many  a 
significant  Little  Theatre,  North,  South, 
East,  West. 

There  should  be  a  definite  budget,  and  the 
dramatic  chart  must  be  made  to  fit  it.  This 
budget  will  increase  as  time  goes  on,  since 
nothing  succeeds  like  success.  Thousands  of 
dollars  are  wasted  in  municipal  parades  that 
are  from  an  art  and  civic  point  of  view  ut- 
terly worthless.  Start  your  plan  as  have  all 
dramatic  pioneers  and  the  money  will  be 
forthcoming. 

It  cannot  be  reiterated  too  often  that  it  is 
spirit  and  not  money  that  counts.  But  the 
dramatic  unification  fund  cannot  be  left  to 
chance.  A  practical  sum  must  be  collected 
or  appropriated,  and  all  plans  must  be  in 
accordance  with  that  sum. 

And  in  connection  with  the  smallness  of 
the  sum  let  it  be  said  again:  "Do  not  be 
afraid  of  simplicity" 

Genuine  artistic  leadership  always  means 


26       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

actual  economy  in  the  end;  for  your  true 
"  dramatic  engineer "  has  a  knowledge  of 
subtle  yet  inexpensive  effects  that  can  be 
employed  to  heighten  simple  productions. 
There  must  be  no  waste  of  either  effort  or 
material  if  the  chart  is  to  succeed.  The  cos- 
tumes of  each  play  and  festival  must  be 
saved  so  that  they  can  be  used  again  and 
again  either  through  being  re-dyed  or  re- 
combined.  What  is  used  in  a  play  this  year 
can  be  re-used  next  year  or  the  year  after 
with  a  marvelous  effect  of  newness  and  fresh- 
ness if  only  the  plans  are  laid  ahead. 

8.   Lack  of  Initiative. 

Lack  of  initiative  is  one  of  the  worst  lacks 
of  all,  but  a  definite  program  or  chart  can 
help  to  rectify  it  where  it  exists.  Lack  of 
initiative  often  comes  from  a  lack  of  vision; 
from  being  unable  to  see  what  can  be  ac- 
complished. Lack  of  any  real  love  for  or 
enthusiasm  for  art  often  lies  at  the  base  of 
it.  Timidity  is  another  reason  for  it.  Lack 
of  knowledge  another.  Local  lethargy  an- 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         27 

other.  But  the  great  war  has  so  galvanized 
communities  into  action  that  now  the  mists 
of  local  inanition  can  be  quickly  dispersed 
by  the  sun  of  effort.  It  is  the  leaders  in 
your  community  that  will  have  to  stir  the 
laggards.  This  may  be  done  through  meet- 
ings, talks,  or  through  the  impulse  of  the 
drama  itself.  Nothing  so  opens  people's 
eyes  as  a  fine  and  stirring  performance. 

9.   Lack  of  an  Art  Standard. 

Here  we  come  face  to  face  with  a  na- 
tional deficiency  which  only  time  and  effort 
can  remedy.  But  that  it  is  being  remedied 
and  in  some  cases  swiftly  remedied,  no  one 
can  question.  And  for  this  the  Little  The- 
atres that  have  sprung  up  almost  overnight 
in  many  of  our  towns  are  largely  responsible. 

It  cannot  be  said  too  often  that  any  mes- 
sage America  is  to  give  her  people  through 
drama  must  have  art  in  the  telling,  if  the 
message  is  to  reach  them  and  remain  with 
them.  All  the  great  stories  and  poems  of  the 
world  have  lived  in  the  hearts  of  succeeding 


28       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

generations  because  they  have  had  art  in  the 
telling.  The  import  of  the  message  must 
be  equaled  by  the  art  through  which  it  is 
conveyed.  Too  much  of  the  work  of  com- 
munity drama  is  ragged  and  not  well  put 
together.  This  sometimes  comes  from  at- 
tempting too  much  in  too  short  a  space  of 
time.  A  small  thing  perfectly  done  is  bet- 
ter than  a  large  thing  imperfectly  done, 
though  many  communities  have  yet  to  learn 
this  fact. 

For  some  reason  or  other  America  has  al- 
ways had  a  respect  for  numbers.  '  We  had 
a  big  festival "  or  "  We  gave  a  play  with 
three  hundred  people  in  it "  sounds  better 
to  some  ears  than  to  say :  ;'  We  did  such 
and  such  with  a  small  cast,  and  we  came  near 
doing  it  perfectly."  This  regard  for  totality 
seems  to  be  a  survival  of  the  spirit  "  40— 
ELEPHANTS— 40  "  of  the  old  circus  days. 
The  drama  with  a  large  cast  is  epical;  the 
drama  with  a  small  cast  is  lyrical:  one  is 
magnificent;  the  other  gem-like.  The  value 
of  each  is  equal. 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         29 

But  in  this  country  we  have  had  to  learn  to 
appreciate  the  smaller  work  of  art.  In  dis- 
cussing this,  "  the  loveliness  of  little  things," 
Clayton  Hamilton  has  this  to  say  in  Prob- 
lems of  the  Playwright: 

"It  is  one  of  the  paradoxes  of  art  that 
its  very  finest  works  are  nearly  always  minor 
works.  The  pursuit  of  perfectness  is  in- 
compatible with  the  ambition  for  amplitude, 
and  a  vast  creation  can  seldom  be  completely 
fine.  A  cameo  is  a  more  perfect  thing  than  a 
cathedral.  ..." 

This  is  why  a  small  production  is  often  a 
better  thing  for  a  town  than  too  large  a 
production.  That  is  why  a  play  or  a  masque 
is  sometimes  a  far  better  choice  than  a 
pageant  to  drive  home  any  truth,  national 
or  local.  A  clear,  salient,  unforgettable  dra- 
matic impression  must  be  made  instead  of  a 
blurred  impression.  And  much  of  our  dra- 
matic work  is  blurred — blurred  by  haste,  by 
carelessness,  by  indifference,  and  lack  of 
standard. 

What  is  tawdry  and  cheap  and  ephemeral 


30       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

must  be  banished.  And  the  establishment  of 
a  Little  Independent  Theatre  with  a  high 
art  standard  will  help  to  raise  the  whole 
dramatic  standard  of  a  town  by  showing 
people  what  is  good  and  what  is  not.  This 
is  not  a  dream,  but  a  fact.  It  has  already 
been  proved  in  several  cities.  Amongst  them, 
Detroit. 

Three  fine  one-act  plays  with  a  definite 
idea  behind  them  or  one  longer  play  of  the 
same  type  repeated  through  all  the  sections 
of  the  town  until  everyone  has  had  a  chance 
to  see  it  is  better  than  a  dozen  ill-done  festi- 
vals produced  throughout  the  year. 

Many  people  who  are  interested  in  com- 
munal drama  ignore  what  the  professional 
theatre  at  its  best  has  to  teach  them  and 
they  do  themselves  and  the  mighty  art  of  the 
theatre  a  grievous  wrong.  For  all  the  finest 
art  of  the  drama  as  we  know  it  stems  from 
the  theatre  and  must  stem  back  into  the 
theatre  again. 

"  Ignore  the  theatre,"  says  Granville  Bar- 
ker, "and  the  theatre  revenges  itself." 


UNIFICATION  THROUGH  DRAMA         31 

Above  all,  this  movement  should  not  be 
musty  and  scholastic.  It  should  have  free- 
dom and  vitality.  It  cannot  be  dry-as-dust 
and  savor  too  much  of  the  schoolroom.  It 
must  have  simplicity,  yes.  But  it  must  have 
color,  sweep,  emotion,  climax.  And  these 
things  are  forever  conserved  in  the  profes- 
sional theatre  at  its  best. 

Through  participation  we  will  not  only  be 
unifying  and  Americanizing  our  national  life 
but  we  will  be  sending  back  to  the  theatre  of 
the  future — perhaps  to  our  National  Theatre 
—creative,  articulate,  American  audiences 
that  will  demand  the  best.  And  as  has  been 
said  a  thousand  times,  the  "  Power  of  De- 
mand lies  in  the  hands  of  the  audience."  * 

We  are  continually  harking  back  to  the 
Greek  and  Elizabethan  dramatists  without 
stopping  to  consider  the  creative  audiences 

*  The  Drama  League,  Riggs  Building,  Washington,  D.  C.,  is 
working  to  make  appreciative  audiences,  and  reaching  every 
part  of  the  country.  Anyone  can  join  by  sending  one  dollar, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  every  reader  of  this  book  has  joined, 
or  will.  Also,  in  a  few  brief  years,  the  Little  Theatre  move- 
ment has  done  much  to  raise  the  standard  of  appreciation 
throughout  the  country. 


32      PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

to  which  they  played — audiences  to  whom 
beauty  and  poetry  were  as  requisite  as  bread. 
For  every  play  is  a  collaborated  effort. 
Without  that  strange  quickening  which  is 
shared  by  audience  and  dramatist  no  play 
can  really  live.  And  where  are  Democracy's 
imaginative  audiences?  If  Democracy  is  to 
come  to  its  full  flower  we  must  see  that  they 
exist.  We  must  send  an  imaginative, 
homogeneous  American  audience  into  the 
theatre. 

10.    Willingness  to  Take  Something  "Just 
as  Good"  if  the  Thing  Can  Be  Done 
Easily. 
Nothing  that  influences  the  life  of  a  great 

nation  can  be  too  good.     The  only  fear  is 

that  it  will  not  be  good  enough. 


Ill 

DRAMA  CHART  OR  PROGRAM  OF 
PROGRESS 

THIS  program  is  by  no  means  meant  to 
be  a  rigid  one.     It  is  not  intended  as 
anything  but  an  outline  of  what  might 
be  done:  a  list  of  suggestions  rather  than  any 
wish  to  dogmatize.* 

Any   City's  or  Town's  Dramatic   Equip- 
ment should  consist  of   (at  least) : 

1.  A  Little  Theatre  (focusing  the  art  life 
of  the  community). 

2.  A    Small,    Inexpensive,    Easily    Made 
Portable  Theatre  to  be  Used  in  Connection 
with  the  Little  Theatre. 

3.  An  Outdoor  Theatre  or  Stadium. 

*  Considering  the  need  for  it  an  astonishingly  small  amount 
of  American  Historical  Drama  is  available:  the  writing  of  it 
lies  in  the  future.  Until  it  comes,  workers  must  be  content 
with  what  is  now  available. 

33 


34       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

1.  Community  drama  is  dependent  upon 
music.    The  programs  of  all  municipal  bands 
and  orchestras  should  be  made  up  with  ref- 
erence to  the  city's  dramatic  schedule.     That 
is,  the  music  that  can  be  used  to  accompany 
symbolic  dances,  or  dramatic  action  in  parks 
or   outdoor   theatres    also    can    be   used    for 
municipal   concerts,   thus    serving   two   pur- 
poses. 

2.  The  programs  of  all  municipal  or  com- 
munity choruses  should  be  planned  in  direct 
relation  to  the  city's  dramatic  program. 


DRAMATIC  PROGRAM 

AMERICANIZATION  YEAE 
(First  Year) 

An  Outdoor  Masque  showing  the  relation 
of  foreign-born  citizens  to  America.  Acted 
by  a  chosen  cast  of  American  and  foreign- 
born  citizens.  Produced  on  the  Fourth  of 
July,  and  repeated  on  Labor  Day. 


DRAMA  CHART  35 

Establishment     of     a     Little     Independent 

Theatre. 

This  theatre's  program  to  include  the  pro- 
duction of  at  least  six  one-act  patriotic 
plays  *  which  will  be  repeated  in  all  parts 
of  the  city  in  parks  and  playgrounds  or  on 
the  porticos  of  City  Halls  and  libraries,  etc. 
This  can  be  done  through  the  establishment 
of  a  Little  Portable  Theatre. 

Patriotic  Programs  by  Municipal  Bands. 
Patriotic  Songs  by  Community  Choruses. 

FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE 

Three  or  four  one-act  patriotic  plays  for 
high  schools,  produced  in  consultation  with 
the  Little  Theatre  director  or  committee. 
Or  a  three-  or  four-act  play  of  the  same 
type. 


*  Owing  to  the  meager  supply  of  Patriotic  Plays  available, 
plays  of  American  history  or  character  can,  if  necessary,  be 
substituted.  For  a  list  of  such  plays,  see  pages  98  and  106 
of  this  volume. 


36       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Three  one-act  patriotic  plays  for  the  Grade 
Schools. 

These  plays  to  be  repeated  in  all  parts 
of  the  city  and  to  be  produced  in  connection 
with  the  Little  Theatre's  director  or  com- 
mittee. 

Or  a  simple  historical  pageant  may  be 
given  on  a  general  patriotic  theme  which 
will  unite  all  the  schools. 


CHBISTMAS    COMMUNITY    CELEBRATION 
ABOUND    THE   TREE    OF   LIGHT 

Instead  of  simply  singing  the  traditional 
carols,  have  the  Tree  of  Light  dark  until  Lib- 
erty appears  with  her  uplifted  torch.  Then 
have  all  the  lights  on  the  tree  flare  up.  One 
or  two  of  the  old  carols  may  be  introduced; 
but  the  rest  of  the  carols  should  be  patriotic 
ones  led  by  Liberty,  songs  which  are  neither 
of  the  North  or  South  or  East  or  West; 
but  distinctly  American,  like  Katharine  Lee 
Bates'  "  America  the  Beautiful "  and  Arthur 
Farwell's  "  Hymn  to  Liberty." 


DRAMA  CHART  37 

All  properties  and  costumes  of  all  cele- 
brations to  be  conserved  until  they  are  needed 
again. 

AMERICAN  MYTHS 
(Second  Year) 

The  Establishment  of  an  Outdoor  Theatre. 

Hiawatha  *  given  on  a  large  scale  with  a 
great  many  symbolic  dances  interwoven. 
Corn  dance,  dance  of  fireflies;  of  winds;  of 
nature  forces;  Spirits  of  the  Sunset,  etc., 
etc.  The  whole  production  to  be  finely  done. 
To  be  acted  by  the  local  colleges  and  high 
schools. 

Small  Spring  festivals  in  parks  and  play- 
grounds woven  around  Indian  myths.  The 

*  We  are  accustomed  to  think  of  Hiawatha  as  something 
rather  childish,  yet  staged  as  it  should  be,  with  a  wealth  of 
color,  an3  with  superb  lighting  effects,  it  could  give  as  surely 
as  any  Greek  Drama  the  sense  of  man's  battle  with  Fate,  the 
supreme  antagonist:  and  there  could  be  wonderfully  brought 
out  the  theme  of  the  Four  Seasons  which  runs  through  it,  from 
the  lyric  love  passages  of  Spring  to  Winter  and  Death  at  the 
end.  The  great  unheeding  forces  of  nature  could  be  mystically 
suggested  throughout.  The  real  play  of  Hiawatha  has  never 
yet  been  written.  The  writing  of  It  lies  in  the  future. 


38       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

coming  of  Spring  and  Winter,  the  story  of 
the  Moccasin  Flower,  etc.,  etc.  On  no  ac- 
count must  the  main  theme,  Hiawatha,  be 
touched  upon  in  any  minor  festival,  or  it  will 
become  stale. 

Indian  Music  Played  by  the  Municipal  Band. 

Indian  programs  or  music  sung  by  the 
community  chorus  (Cadman,  Farwell,  Cole- 
ridge-Taylor) . 

In  the  Little  Theatre  plays  interpretative 
of  different  sections  of  America,  the  prairies, 
Wisconsin,  mining  districts,  the  Great  Lakes, 
New  York,  the  South,  New  England,  by 
such  authors  as  Alice  Brown,  Eugene  O'Neill, 
Percy  Mackaye,  Susan  Glaspell,  Zona  Gale, 
William  Ellery  Leonard,  etc.,  etc.  See 
pages  110  and  111  of  this  volume. 

Community  Christmas  Celebration. 

American  historic  festival  given  by  the 
different  churches  of  the  city. 

1.  Christmas  carols  of  Old  England;  then 
a  few  native  Indian  songs.  Then  Martin 


DRAMA  CHART  39 

Luther's  "  A  Mighty  Fortress  Is  Our  God," 
always  connected  with  New  England.  Then 
Oliver  Holden's  "  Coronation,"  connected 
with  the  XVIIIth  Century  in  America. 
Then  Phillips  Brooks'  "  Little  Town  of  Beth- 
lehem," connected  with  the  XlXth  century. 
Then  Katharine  Lee  Bates'  "  America  the 
Beautiful,"  connected  with  our  own  time. 
Each  group  to  be  in  the  costume  of  its  cen- 
tury, 

or 

Each  group  may  be  led  by  a  singer  in  a  cos- 
tume suggestive  of  the  particular  century 
connected  with  the  special  carol  or  hymn. 

COLONIZATION  YEAR 
( Third  Year) 

Simple  Outdoor  Play. 

Given  on  a  much  smaller  scale  than  Hia- 
watha, dealing  with  American  settlement  or 
colonization.  (Such  plays  as  Lily  Long's 
Radisson  or  James  Oppenheim's  The  Pio- 
neers.) 


40       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

In  the  Little  Theatre. 

Comparative  programs  of  world  plays 
(since  all  the  world  helped  to  discover  and 
colonize  America).  Plays  by  English,  Irish, 
Italian,  French,  and  Scandinavian  authors, 
etc.,  etc. 

Christmas  Celebration  Around  the  Tree  of 

Light. 

Christmas  carols  of  the  different  nations 
which  sent  colonizers  to  America:  English, 
French,  Russian,  Italian,  Scandinavian,  etc., 
etc. 

FOB  YOUNG   PEOPLE 

Comparative  one-act  plays  in  high  schools, 
dealing  with  frontier  and  pioneer  life  or  with 
Pilgrim  or  Puritan  life. 

Long  play  in  grade  schools,  dealing  with 
any  of  these  themes. 

In  the  parks  and  playgrounds  the  May- 
pole of  Merry  Mount,  showing  the  first 
Mayday  in  New  England. 


DRAMA  CHART  41 

AMERICAN  AUTHOR  YEAR 
(Fourth  Year) 

Plays  by  American  Authors  in  the  Little 

Theatre. 
Plays  in  the  High  Schools  and  Colleges  by 

American     Authors      (such     as     ff  Little 

Women/'  etc.,  etc.). 
In  the  Grade  Schools.    Plays  by  American 

Authors. 
Fourth  of  July  Celebration  by  Foreign-born 

and  American  Children. 

Since  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Goose  (or  Vergoose, 
as  the  name  originally  was)  was  born  in  Bos- 
ton in  the  XVIIIth  century,  she  comes  under 
the  heading  of  an  American  author,  so  a 
Mother  Goose  Festival  for  all  the  children 
of  the  city,  with  songs  and  dances  woven  into 
it,  would  be  appropriate.  It  would  give 
opportunity  for  lovely  color  schemes,  since 
all  the  garden  of  Mary,  Mary  Quite  Contrary 
could  be  there,  as  well  as  the  followers  of 
Daffydotvndilly  in  their  gay  daffodil-colored 
costumes.  A  dance  of  the  Alphabet  Children 


42       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

could  spell  out  quaint  messages,  and  conceits, 
each  child  wearing  a  letter  like  a  sandwich 
man,  the  whole  dance  to  be  done  in  a  Pierrot 
effect  of  black  and  white.  In  the  rich  colors 
suggested  by  the  pictures  of  Maxfield  Par- 
rish  could  come  Old  King  Cole  and  his  Fid- 
dlers Three;  The  Four  and  Twenty  Black- 
birds could  emerge,  singing,  from  a  huge  pie. 
Shepherd  dances  could  accompany  Little  Bo- 
Peep;  Dances  of  Haymakers  in  quaint  cos- 
tumes could  be  woven  about  Little  Boy  Blue. 
Athletics  could  be  introduced  by  means  of  a 
tall  candlestick  over  which  Jack-Be-Nimble 
could  jump.  Indeed,  the  whole  festival  could 
be  a  tribute  to  Mother  Goose,  resembling  in 
its  way  Grainger's  Tribute  to  Foster.  At  the 
very  end  there  might  appear  a  huge  shoe, 
dragged  in  by  the  merrymakers,  and  presided 
over  by  the  Old  Woman  Who  Lived  in  a 
Shoe.  At  the  end,  the  Old  Woman  Who 
Lives  in  the  Shoe  tosses  off  her  disguise  and 
appears  as  America.  Into  the  heel  of  the 
shoe  go  all  the  foreign  little  citizens.  With 
their  everyday  clothes  they  wear  caps  and 


DRAMA  CHART  43 

aprons  or  kerchiefs  that  are  distinguishing 
badges  of  their  different  countries.  These 
they  quickly  take  off  inside  the  shoe  and 
emerge  from  the  toe  of  the  shoe  as  Little 
American  citizens  with  red,  white,  and  blue 
caps  on  their  heads,  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
in  their  hands. 

Labor  Day. 

Parade  of  Units  from  the  Labor  Unions, 
and  a  re-using  of  all  The  Mother  Goose  Fes- 
tival material  by  relating  it  to  labor,  and 
placing  the  young  people,  skilfully  grouped, 
on  simple  floats.  Thus  the  Pie  of  the  Black- 
birds can  represent  the  Bakers'  Union; 
Old  King  Cole,  the  Musicians'  Union;  the 
Shoe,  the  Shoemakers'  Union;  the  Alphabet 
Children,  the  Printers'  Union;  a  study  of 
Mother  Goose  will  reveal  something  to  fit 
every  trade  under  the  sun,  and  the  floats, 
though  simple,  could  be  whimsical  and  pretty. 
The  float  "  settings "  could  be  copied  from 
Mother  Goose  as  illustrated  by  Kate  Green- 
away,  and  by  Maxfield  Parrish,  the  first  being 


44       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

light  in  color  effects  and  the  second  richer 
and  more  somber. 

Christmas   Community   Celebration   Around 
Tree  of  Light. 
Children's    festival,    children's    Christmas 

carols;  Santa  Claus  presiding. 

Music  by  American  Composers  Given  by  Mu- 
nicipal Bands. 

Songs  by  American  Authors.  Given  by  Com- 
munity Choruses..  (Traditional  American 
music  might  be  given — the  vast  ballad  lore 
of  the  Kentucky  Mountains,  now  collected 
by  Cecil  Sharpe  and  others.) 

LOCAL  HISTORY  YEAR 
'(Fifth  Year) 

Pageant  of  Local  History  for  Fourth  of  July. 
In  the  Little  Theatre  a  program  of  experi- 
mental plays — that  is,  plays  which  make  ex- 
periments along  the  line  of  lighting,  styliza- 
tion,  etc.  All  city  schools  and  city  organiza- 
tions to  work  for  the  Pageant. 


DRAMA  CHART  45 

'Labor  Day. 

A  float  parade,  re-using  all  the  costumes  of 
the  Pageant,  showing  the  development  of 
labor  in  this  country,  both  in  the  home  and 
out  of  it.  (Might  be  called  The  Pageant  of 
the  Lineage  of  Labor.)  It  might  show  a  his- 
tory of  labor  in  America,  first  in  the  home, 
and  then  out  of  it. 

All  costumes  used  in  all  former  celebrations 
to  be  re-dyed  and  re-vamped  and  added  to 
the  new  Pageant  costumes. 

Municipal  Band  and  Community  Choruses 
to  use  music  of  the  Pageant  throughout  the 
city. 


IV 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE 
AND  YOUR  TOWN 

THE  very  fact  that  war  is  apt  to  quench 
the  torch  of  art  is  one  reason  why  all 
the  art  forces  that  we  have  striven  to 
kindle  should  be  conserved  in  war  time.  Paris 
and  Venice  have  taken  every  precaution  to 
guard  their  art  treasures.  America  has  com- 
paratively few  native  art  treasures:  in  fact, 
one  of  the  greatest  art  treasures  she  has  is  her 
newly  wakened  communal  art  spirit.  This 
must  not  be  allowed  to  die.  Although  the 
other  arts  in  this  country  have  languished 
during  the  war,  drama  has  received  a  quick- 
ening impetus,  and  this  impetus  should  be 
fostered,  and  conserved;  in  especial  because 
drama  holds  within  itself  the  essence  of  all 
the  arts. 

46 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE     47 

And  if  Americanization  is  to  be  our  chief 
end  and  aim  during  and  after  the  war,  every 
city  must  have  its  civic  art  center  where  the 
fire  on  the  altar  is  kept  alive;  in  other  words, 
its  drama  center  where  an  art  standard  is 
established  and  maintained,  in  order  that 
the  work  of  Americanization  through  drama 
will  be  equal  to  its  high  purpose.  To  try  to 
accomplish  this  work  without  an  art  standard 
is  like  putting  a  beautiful  goddess  into 
slovenly  raiment,  and  then  bidding  her  give 
her  message  to  the  world. 

All  of  the  Little  Independent  Theatres  or 
nearly  all,*  are  doing  patriotic  work,  either 
through  the  production  of  stirringly  patriotic 
one-act  plays;  through  performances  for  the 
Red  Cross;  or  through  other  lines  of  active 
service.  The  Little  Theatre  at  Erie,  Pennsyl- 
vania, has  adopted  a  French  war  orphan  as 
a  charge  du  theatre,  and  the  spirit  which  has 
kept  this  Little  Theatre  alive  in  war  time  is 

*  A  complete  history  of  the  Little  Theatre  movement  can  be 
found  in  The  Little  Theatre  in  the  United  States  by  Constance 
D'Arcy  Mackay,  published  by  Henry  Holt  and  Company. 
$2.00  net 


48       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

excellently  expressed  in  its  interesting  cir- 
cular: 

"  Do  you  think  the  Playhouse  should  close 
in  war  time?  It  is  no  trivial  thing  to  keep 
a  light  in  the  window  and  the  home  fires 
burning. 

'  The  war  is  breaking  up  our  petty  inter- 
ests and  small  circles,  and  merges  us  into  a 
great  relationship.  We  have  become  fellow- 
travelers  on  the  same  road,  and  must  share 
our  joys  as  we  share  our  griefs.  We  must 
keep  alive  those  things  which  make  for  neigh- 
bor liness.  .  .  . 

"  All  life  is  service.  The  fullest  develop- 
ment of  the  individual  life — and  therefore  its 
greatest  joy — lies  in  its  contribution  to  the 
common  will  and  to  the  common  happiness. 

"  The  Little  Playhouse  is  an  asset  to  Erie. 
Are  you? 

"  The  Little  Playhouse  is  a  place  and  an 
idea.  The  place  is  one  of  entertainment;  the 
idea  is  community  service.  The  place  vital- 
ized by  the  idea  becomes  a  contrate  expres- 
sion of  civic  pride. 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE      49 

'  The  Little  Playhouse  is  the  beginning  of 
a  community  center  and  has  a  threefold  pur- 
pose to  encourage  and  develop  every  kind  of 
artistic  endeavor  in  the  city. 

'  To  promote  neighborliness  by  bringing 
people  together  and  interesting  them  in  one 
another.  To  add  something  to  the  joy  of 
life  by  the  presentation  of  good  music  and 
worth  while  plays." 

The  Erie  Community  Chorus  (one  of  the 
first  of  its  kind  to  be  organized  in  America) 
and  the  Erie  Community  Orchestra  both  have 
their  homes  in  the  Playhouse. 

Indeed,  this  Little  Playhouse  represents 
signally  what  can  be  done  by  a  Little  Theatre. 
Anyone  who  has  an  idea  to  express  may  bring 
that  idea  to  the  Little  Playhouse. 

The  work  toward  Americanization  done  by 
the  Neighborhood  Playhouse  on  Grand  Street, 
New  York  City,  is  almost  too  well  known  to 
need  citation.  This  charming  little  theatre  is 
situated  in  the  midst  of  the  Jewish  immigrant 
district,  and  on  its  stage  are  given  notably 
fine  plays  in  Yiddish  and  English;  festivals 


50       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

in  which  people  of  the  neighborhood  take  part 
under  skilled  direction  as  well  as  plays  by 
companies  of  professional  actors  from  uptown. 
Movies  of  a  high  type  are  also  given  here. 
The  best  in  art  is  put  within  the  reach  of 
immigrant  pocketbooks  and  the  Neighborhood 
Playhouse  thus  becomes  the  focusing  point 
of  a  vast  overcrowded  district.  Some  years 
ago  under  the  auspices  of  this  theatre  a 
pageant  was  given  outdoors  in  Henry  Street. 
A  block  of  this  congested  thoroughfare  was 
roped  off  and  the  surrounding  tenements 
formed  the  balconies  of  this  improvised  audi- 
torium, while  on  the  city  pavement  the 
pageant  players  acted  episode  after  episode. 
It  has  already  been  proved  that  as  a  focus- 
ing point  for  a  city's  art  life  nothing  equals 
a  Little  Theatre.  It  can  be  made  the  hub, 
and  from  it  can  radiate  the  spokes  of  the 
wheel  that  will  reach  into  every  section  of 
the  city.  Used  as  it  should  be  used  it  can 
become  a  clearing  house  of  art.  Here  pa- 
triotic or  symbolic  pageants,  festivals,  and 
masques  can  be  planned.  Here  the  civic  cele- 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE      51 

brations  for  Fourth  of  July  and  Community 
Christmas  Trees  discussed.  Here  all  the  com- 
munal dramatic  forces  of  the  city  can  be  co- 
ordinated. And  here,  last  but  not  least,  the 
American  playwright  can  be  given  his  oppor- 
tunity; for  the  Little  Independent  Theatres 
have  given  and  are  giving  the  native  author 
a  chance  to  express  himself  and  the  life  around 
him.  Through  these  Little  Theatres  we  feel 
the  first  dim  gropings  for  a  National  Theatre 
that  shall  worthily  interpret  America  for 
Americans. 

Even  so  far  the  work  that  has  been  ac- 
complished by  Little  Independent  Theatres 
in  their  task  for  city  unification  is  wonder- 
fully inspiriting.  Take  as  an  example  the 
Arts  and  Crafts  Theatre  of  Detroit,  Michi- 
gan. This  theatre  is  the  centralizing  point 
for  the  art  workers  of  its  community.  It  has 
its  regular  subscription  audience;  its  student 
audience  that  is  eager  to  learn  all  that  can 
be  learned;  its  teacher  audience  composed 
of  teachers  from  the  public  schools  who  are 
bringing  back  to  their  public  school  produc- 


52       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

tions  all  that  they  have  learned  in  the  Arts 
and  Crafts  Theatre  of  color  and  simplicity, 
of  beauty  and  stylization,  arid,  above  all,  of 
economy  of  means. 

The  Arts  and  Crafts  Theatre  is  thus  rais- 
ing the  dramatic  standard  of  the  whole  city. 
It  is  educating  not  just  the  few,  but  the 
many.  It  is  making  the  demand  for  beauty 
universal.  It  does  not  attempt  to  do  too 
much;  but  does  what  it  does  supremely  well. 
Each  year  it  increases  its  scope  and  enters 
more  and  more  deeply  into  the  life  of  De- 
troit. It  gives,  through  a  portable  theatre, 
productions  in  the  public  schools,  showing 
what  the  standard  of  such  productions  should 
be.  It  shows  how  to  use  one  set  of  inexpen- 
sive scenery  for  a  dozen  different  plays. 

Every  year  the  director  of  the  Arts  and 
Crafts  Theatre,  Mr.  Sam  Hume,  produces  a 
simple  and  lovely  outdoor  masque  that  sets 
the  standard  for  all  outdoor  productions  in 
Detroit. 

The  Little  Vagabond  Theatre  of  Balti- 
more besides  its  splendid  production  of  plays 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE      53 

also  works  to  maintain  a  high  art  standard 
in  the  public  schools  and  has  specimen  pro- 
ductions of  young  people's  plays  where 
marked  stress  is  laid  on  simple  yet  imagina- 
tive scenery.  Other  Little  Theatres,  such  as 
that  of  Galesburg,  Illinois,  plan  a  Christmas 
Community  Celebration  around  the  Tree  of 
Light;  while  the  Little  Theatre  of  Fargo  de- 
vises agricultural  pageants  for  the  farming 
districts  of  North  Dakota.  The  Little  The- 
atre of  Cleveland  has  already  set  the  plan  of 
Americanization  afoot  in  its  tiny  playhouse. 
People  are  only  touching  the  outside  rim  of 
what  the  Little  Independent  Theatres  may 
accomplish  for  the  community.  There  is  so 
little  expense  connected  with  the  running  of 
a  Little  Theatre  that  it  makes  it  possible  for 
it  to  survive  stressful  times.  Allowing  for 
Little  Theatres  that  have  had  to  drop  out, 
even  in  war  time,  Little  Theatres  have  held 
together  valiantly.  The  list  of  cities  possess- 
ing Little  Theatres  or  groups  working  toward 
Little  Theatres  comprises  the  following: 
In  California — Berkeley,  Los  Angeles, 


54       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Oakland,  Sausalito,  San  Francisco,  Santa 
Barbara.  In  Connecticut  —  Bridgeport, 
Greenwich,  Hartford.  In  District  of  Co- 
lumbia— Washington.  In  Florida — Miami. 
In  Illinois — Chicago,  Evanston,  Freeport, 
Lake  Forest,  Quincy.  In  Indiana — Evans- 
ville,  Indianapolis.  In  Iowa — Waterloo. 
In  Kansas — Kansas  City.  In  Kentucky- 
Louisville.  In  Louisiana — New  Orleans. 
In  Maryland — Baltimore.  In  Massachusetts 
— Cambridge,  Northampton.  In  Michigan — 
Ann  Arbor,  Detroit,  Jackson,  Kala- 
mazoo,  Saginaw,  Ypsilanti.  In  Minnesota 
— Duluth,  Faribault,  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul. 
In  Missouri — Joplin.  In  Montana — Boze- 
man.  In  Nebraska — Lincoln.  In  New 
Hampshire — Plainfield.  In  New  Jersey — 
Montclair,  Newark,  Perth  Amboy.  In  New 
York — Buffalo,  New  York  City,  Rochester. 
In  North  Dakota — Fargo.  In  Ohio — Cin- 
cinnati, Columbus,  Dayton,  Greenville,  To- 
ledo, Portsmouth.  In  Oklahoma — Bartlets- 
ville.  In  Oregon — Portland.  In  Pennsyl- 
vania— Allentown,  Erie,  Brookfield,  Meads- 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE     55 

ville,  Pittsburgh.  In  Tennessee — Knoxville. 
In  Wisconsin — Madison,  Milwaukee. 

Before  the  World  War  a  thousand  dollars 
a  year  sufficed  to  start  and  maintain  many  a 
Little  Theatre  until  it  was  sufficiently  on 
its  feet  to  depend  on  its  audience.  It  will 
now  take  twice  this  sum.  Even  its  housing 
is  a  more  or  less  simple  matter  once  the 
fire  laws  are  complied  with.  It  can  be  or- 
ganized as  a  club,  as  the  Provincetown  Play- 
ers of  New  York  City  are  organized,  and 
thus  eliminate  theatre  tax  or  license. 

For  Little  Theatres  that  pay  no  salaries 
to  their  players  $2,000  a  season  seems  to  be 
the  usual  sum  for  maintenance,  if  strict  econ- 
omy is  practised.  This  sum,  if  the  theatre  is 
properly  managed,  is  put  back  into  the  the- 
atre fund  and  whatever  is  made,  over  and 
above  this,  is  paid  out  for  any  extra  expenses 
the  theatre  may  incur. 

To  reduce  the  theatre  budget  to  $2,000 
a  season,  someone  in  the  Little  Theatre 
group  must  have  a  knowledge  of  pigments; 
of  how  to  build  scenery  from  compo  board 


56       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

as  well  as  canvas;  of  how  to  use  the  draped 
stage,  or,  as  it  is  technically  called,  the  stage 
hung  with  curtains.  Either  the  director  or 
the  theatre  artist  must  also  know  how  to 
use  and  re-use  certain  scenic  effects  in  com- 
binations that  will  not  be  detected  by  the 
audience.  This  is  where  the  ingenuity  of 
the  community  is  aroused.  A  knowledge 
of  the  use  of  inexpensive  materials  is  also 
necessary,  if  the  theatre  is  to  be  managed 
for  this  sum,  for  the  inexpensiveness  of  the 
costumes  depends  upon  how  great  or  how 
beautiful  an  effect  can  be  secured  through 
sateen,  cotton  poplin,  mercerized  cotton, 
cheese  cloth,  and  crepon.  Here  is  where  a 
knowledge  of  dyes  is  also  invaluable.  And 
last,  but  not  least,  if  expense  is  to  be  kept 
down,  there  must  be  someone  experienced  in 
painting  scenes  with  lights.  This,  if  certain 
scenes  have  to  be  used  again,  will  greatly  les- 
sen their  monotony  for  the  audience.  An 
outdoor  scene  painted  with  amber  light  can 
be  made  to  appear  quite  differently  when 
given  a  moonlit  effect  with  blue  and  white 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE      57 

lights.  Such  knowledge  forms  the  stock-in- 
economy  of  every  Little  Theatre  in  this 
country. 

The  reader  of  this  chapter  will  have  gath- 
ered from  what  has  already  been  said  that 
each  Little  Theatre  works  out  its  expense 
account  differently,  its  budget  being  modified 
by  the  price  of  seats,  the  number  of  seats, 
and  the  number  of  performances  per  week 
or  per  month,  as  well  as  the  policy  of 
the  particular  theatre,  and  whether  or  not 
it  is  addicted  to  the  subscription  sys- 
tem. All  these  things  have  a  bearing  on  the 
budget. 

Prices  vary  so  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  and  each  Little  Theatre  has  such 
individual  problems  to  meet  that  any  scale 
suggested  for  their  maintenance  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  approximate.  Rent  is  not  the  same 
in  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  in  New  Orleans, 
Louisiana,  in  Bridgeport  and  Baltimore. 
And  rent  is  one  of  the  chief  problems  con- 
nected with  the  Little  Theatre.  Then,  too, 
a  Little  Theatre's  policy  has  an  immense  deal 


58       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

to  do  with  its  upkeep.  If  the  theatre  build- 
ing is  used  all  the  time  by  the  company  play- 
ing and  rehearsing  in  it,  it  naturally  has  a 
bearing  on  the  general  expense.  If  the  the- 
atre is  such  that  it  can  be  let  for  concerts 
and  lectures,  it  will  help  materially  with 
the  rent.  The  seating  capacity  also  is  a 
consideration,  for  it  regulates  the  theatre  tax. 
Every  State  in  the  Union  has  different  laws 
regarding  theatre  taxation. 

As  for  the  interior  equipment  of  a  Little 
Independent  Theatre  *  it  must  have  a  stage 
raised  not  less  than  24  inches  from  the  floor 
and  measuring  not  less  than  24  feet  wide,  25 
feet  deep  and  14  feet  high  with  a  proscenium 
opening  not  less  than  20  or  22  feet  wide. 
The  space  included  in  these  measurements 
must  be  entirely  free  from  all  obstructions. 

*  Data,  pictures  of  interiors  and  exteriors  of  Little  Theatres, 
expense  budgets,  descriptions  of  scene  setting  and  lighting 
can  be  found  in  The  Little  Theatre  in  the  United  States,  pub- 
lished by  Henry  Holt  and  Company,  at  $2.00  net. 

Complete  details  for  painting  and  building  scenes,  and  plates 
of  scenes  and  costumes  can  be  found  in  Costumes  and  Scenery 
for  Amateurs,  published  by  Henry  Holt  and  Company,  at 
$1.75  net. 

Both  are  by  the  author  of  this  book. 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE     59 

There  must  be  at  least  two  dressing  rooms 
adjacent  to  the  stage.  These  must  be  ade- 
quately ventilated,  lighted,  and  heated,  and 
supplied  with  water.  The  stage  must  be 
provided  with  an  electric  feed  wire  carrying 
110  volts,  capable  of  being  tapped  and  hav- 
ing either  direct  or  indirect  current. 

The  price  of  admittance  will  have  to  be 
planned  to  co-ordinate  with  the  seating  ca- 
pacity. Usually  Little  Theatres  are  run  on 
a  subscription  basis,  unless  as  in  the  case 
of  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  McCullom 
Theatre  at  Northampton,  Massachusetts,  ad- 
mission is  free  and  the  theatre  is  used  solely 
for  communal  upbuilding. 

In  organizing  a  Little  Theatre  there  will 
have  to  be  a  director  whose  word  on  all  ar- 
tistic matters  is  law.  Besides  this,  a  business 
manager,  an  art  director,  a  musical  director, 
and  a  group  of  play  readers  headed  by  a 
chief  reader  or  Chairman  of  Play-reading 
Committee  who  confers  with  the  director  on 
the  final  choice  of  plays.  There  should  be 
a  theatre  secretary  who  may  also  be  the 


60       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

theatre  press  agent;  and  a  theatre  treasurer. 
Many  Little  Theatres  have  boards  of  direc- 
tors who  put  all  matters  connected  with  the 
theatre  to  a  direct  vote. 

No  matter  how  the  theatre  is  run,  by  a 
small  or  a  large  group,  it  must  have  a  defi- 
nite policy  to  start  out  with,  if  it  is  to  pros- 
per, and  this  policy  must  be  agreed  on  in 
advance. 

In  a  Little  Theatre  new  ideas  are  con- 
tinually cropping  up.  In  time  to  come  there 
will  undoubtedly  be  performances  by  foreign 
citizens,  who  will  give  plays  in  their  own 
tongue  as  well  as  translations  of  their  na- 
tional plays  acted  in  English  before  Ameri- 
can audiences. 

There  will  also  be  patriotic  plays  or  plays 
interpretative  of  American  life  participated 
in  by  foreign  citizens  or  given  by  Ameri- 
can citizens  before  audiences  of  the  foreign- 
born. 

Also  with  many  Little  Theatres  the  time 
will  undoubtedly  come  when  a  small  dra- 
matic gallery  or  museum  will  be  used  in 


THE  LITTLE  INDEPENDENT  THEATRE      61 

connection  with  the  theatre.  Here  will  be 
designs  and  costume  plates  and  charts  that 
will  be  of  value  to  all  the  dramatic  groups 
of  the  city,  whether  planning  for  plays  or 
festivals  or  pageants. 


V 

THE   HISTORICAL   PAGEANT 

THE  United  States  Government  believes 
so  heartily  in  the  pageant  as  a  means 
of  stirring  national  patriotism  that  it 
keeps  a  list  of  all  available  pageants  on  file 
at  Washington.  The  historical  pageant 
quickens  the  sense  of  nationalism  as  well 
as  the  art  sense  of  the  community.  It  pos- 
sesses a  power  for  unification  and  co-ordina- 
tion of  large  groups  of  people  that  a  play 
does  not  possess.  It  is  a  civilizer.  It  brings 
an  appreciation  of  beauty  into  every  part 
of  the  city.  People  who  would  not  dream 
of  participating  in  a  play  are  readily  drawn 
into  a  pageant  because  group  work  over- 
comes all  self-consciousness.  Pageantry 
reaches  people  whom  a  play  could  never 
reach.  It  is  an  arouser  of  patriotism,  and 


THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT  63 

through  arousing  patriotism,  makes  for 
Americanism. 

So  much  has  been  written  about  pageants 
and  they  have  been  so  much  talked  about  in 
these  days  of  dramatic  and  patriotic  ferment 
that  almost  everyone  has  come  to  know  that 
a  pageant  consists  of  a  series  of  episodes 
which  portray  the  history  of  a  place,  of  a 
movement,  or  of  an  individual.  That  is,  be- 
ginning with  the  birth  of  that  place,  or  move- 
ment, or  with  the  youth  of  a  particular  per- 
son, the  pageant  progresses  in  a  series  of 
episodes,  each  episode  interrelated  to  the 
whole.  It  is  actual  human  history  given  in 
the  guise  of  drama.  It  covers  the  dry  bones 
of  fact  with  a  mantle  of  glamour.  It  gives 
perspective  and  a  sense  of  the  continuity  of 
human  existence,  its  struggles,  defeats,  and 
hopes.  It  is  the  drama  of  numbers  and  big 
effects,  epic  in  its  scope  and  character.  It 
employs  spoken  speech,  pantomime,  dancing, 
marching,  and  singing  to  convey  its  full  ef- 
fect. 

The  modern  pageant  as  we  know  it  today 


64       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

was  originated  by  Louis  N.  Parker  *  in  Eng- 
land, and  then  brought  to  this  country  where 
American  pageant  artists  have  adapted  its 
pictorial  effect  and  big  brushwork  to  their 
own  needs  and  the  needs  of  the  community. 
But  the  fact  that  Louis  N.  Parker  wrought 
some  of  the  most  superb  pageants  in  Eng- 
land, and  can  be  called  the  originator  of 
modern  pageantry  is  in  itself  a  significant 
fact;  for  it  shows  that  this  art,  whose  very 
essence  is  community  service,  was  made  pos- 
sible by  a  worker  in  the  theatre.  Not  by  a 
social  propagandist,  or  a  teacher  with  ad- 
vanced views  of  pedagogy;  or  by  a  writer  of 
history  or  a  pamphleteer;  but  by  a  worker 
in  the  art  of  the  theatre — a  man  who  has  al- 
ways served  the  theatre  to  the  best  of  his 
ability:  a  man,  moreover,  who  is  more 
closely  identified  with  the  historical  play 
than  any  other  dramatist  of  the  present 
generation. 

The  pageant  was  born  of  theatre  knowl- 

*  Louis  N.  Parker  is  known  as  the  author  of  such  historic 
plays  as  Drake,  Ditraeli,  Pomander  Walk,  etc.,  etc. 


THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT  65 

edge  and  aspiration.  It  is  the  theatre's  gift 
to  the  community. 

America,  as  has  been  said,  took  the  pageant 
from  England  and  adapted  it  to  her  needs; 
yet  with  this  difference.  Whereas  pageants 
in  England  were  always  on  a  large,  magnifi- 
cent scale,  pageants  in  America  were,  from 
the  beginning,  of  two  kinds:  big  and  little. 
Great  American  cities  have  the  vast  type  of 
pageant;  but  small  towns,  which  had  very 
little  money,  wanted  pageants  also.  So  the 
smaller  type  was  devised.  In  England  there 
was  one  type;  America's  democratic  spirit 
demanded  that  there  be  two  types. 

The  beginnings  of  English  history  were 
intertwined  with  the  glitter  and  pomp  of 
Caesar's  Rome.  America,  on  the  other  hand, 
had  homespun  beginnings,  sober  in  color  and 
in  spirit.  This  very  plainness  related  the 
smaller  pageant  to  the  soil  from  which  it 
sprang,  and  gave  it  a  chance  for  inexpen- 
sive production  in  smaller  cities. 

In  England  the  pageant  was  a  welder  of 
the  community.  It  brought  everyone  in  the 


66       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

town  together  to  work  for  the  good  of  the 
whole.  It  stirred  national  and  local  patriot- 
ism, and  wakened  a  deeper  love  of  art.  In 
America  the  pageant  has  done  all  this,  and 
more.  In  many  cases  it  outlasts  its  own 
production.  That  is,  the  seed  sown  by  the 
pageant  has  continued  to  flourish  after  the 
pageant  is  over.  In  one  city,  the  pageant 
chorus,  organized  for  the  pageant,  continues 
its  work  as  a  separate  entity. 

Out  of  a  pageant  in  a  Southern  city 
sprang  a  notable  Little  Theatre.  In  an- 
other city  it  is  the  community  chorus  that 
thus  survives:  in  still  other  cities  the  pageant 
dancing  is  continued  through  the  establish- 
ment of  playgrounds  where  festivals  are 
given.  And,  perhaps  the  finest  result  of  all, 
very  beautiful  permanent  outdoor  theatres 
have  been  established  as  the  result  of  his- 
torical pageantry.  This  is  one  of  pageantry's 
most  salient  and  lasting  benefits  to  the  com- 
munity. There  has  come  to  be  a  feeling  that 
a  pageant  that  does  not  leave  behind  it  some- 
thing which  goes  on  growing  in  a  commun- 


THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT  67 

ity  is  a  pageant  that  has  not  truly  suc- 
ceeded. 

This  is  the  only  way  in  which  the  pageant 
of  local  history  can  survive  its  production, 
the  only  way  in  which  it  can  be  made  last- 
ing. For  once  it  is  over,  it  is  over.  It  will 
seldom  stand  repeating.  Only  the  memory 
of  it,  the  patriotic  thrill  of  it,  will  remain: 
scenes  stamped  forever  on  the  pages  of  the 
mind: — an  Indian  Chief  seated  beside  his  dy- 
ing campfire;  youths  leaving  the  plow  to  an- 
swer their  country's  call:  slim  girl  dancers 
seen  in  silhouette  against  the  waning  light 
of  afternoon.  This  pageant  of  local  his- 
tory is  in  one  way  ephemeral.  It  lives  but 
for  the  moment.  Thus  it  can  only  be  used 
in  one  small  section  of  the  country.  It  is 
not  available  or  advisable  for  use  in  any  other 
part  of  the  country. 

Therefore  there  has  come  into  being  the 
pageant  that  deals  with  a  movement  or  with 
the  life  of  a  famous  individual :  *  a  pageant 

*  As  examples  of  these  types  of  pageants  the  following  may 
be  cited:  The  Susan  B.  Anthony  Pageant,  by  Hazel  Mackaye, 


68       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

that  will  be  general,  not  local  in  its  interest. 
This  type  of  pageant  is  distinctly  an  Ameri- 
can creation.  The  demand  for  it  exists  all 
over  the  country,  and  has  resulted  in  its 
being  made  available  in  book  form.  Such 
pageants  may  deal  with  Independence  Day; 
with  the  growth  of  democracy;  or  with  the 
lives  of  American  heroes.  Like  the  local 
pageant,  this  pageant  having  general  in- 
terest, may  be  produced  on  a  large  scale: 
or  on  a  more  simple  scale,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  town  in  which  it  is  given.  In 
keeping  national  heroes  and  their  deeds  be- 
fore Americans,  and  before  the  foreign-born 
who  are  to  be  Americans,  these  pageants 

produced  for  the  Woman's  Suffrage  Party  in  Washington,  D. 
C.,  was  the  first  pageant  in  this  country  to  deal  with  the  life 
of  an  individual,  beginning  with  the  youth,  and  ending  with 
the  old  age  of  its  heroine.  An  example  of  a  pageant  with  an 
idea  applicable  to  all  parts  of  the  country  is  Thomas  Wood 
Stevens'  Pageant  of  Independence  Day,  published  by  The 
Stage  Guild,  1527  Railway  Exchange  Building,  Chicago,  111., 
at  50  cents  net.  This  can  be  used  in  any  part  of  the 
country,  since  its  underlying  theme  is  liberty.  Still  another 
pageant  of  this  type,  arranged  for  young  people,  and  touching 
on  the  lives  of  Washington,  Lincoln,  and  Franklin,  is  The 
Pageant  of  Patriots,  in  Patriotic  Playt  and  Pageantt,  pub- 
lished by  Henry  Holt  and  Company,  at  $1.35. 


THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT  69 

are  doing  their  share  towards  Americaniza- 
tion. 

That  our  foreign-born  citizens  can  be  given 
a  vivid  idea  of  our  history  and  our  national 
spirit  through  the  use  of  the  pageant  goes 
without  saying,  since  they  themselves  can 
take  part  both  as  participants  and  audience. 
And  this  is  the  time  when  their  patriotic  ob- 
ligations must  be  made  clear  to  them:  an 
opportunity  for  making  them  "  one  hundred 
per  cent  American." 

Over  and  over  again  in  scenes  dealing  with 
emigration  the  immigrant  has  been  shown 
bringing  his  gifts  to  America.  But  very 
little  stress  has  been  put  on  what  America 
gives  the  immigrant.  It  is  high  time  that 
this  should  be  done. 

Drama,  the  spoken  word,  vision,  "  the 
thing  done,"  can  make  this  clear  to  the  im- 
migrant. Foreign-born  American  citizens 
and  their  children  must  be  made  to  feel  that 
they  are  American  citizens;  that  our  heroes, 
Washington,  Lincoln,  Nathan  Hale,  Frank- 
lin, and  Patrick  Henry,  are  their  heroes;  that 


70       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

our  history  has  become  their  history.  The 
lives  and  deeds  of  Garibaldi,  of  Kossuth,  and 
William  Tell  and  Gustavus  Adolphus  will 
be  more  real  to  foreign-born  American  citi- 
zens than  the  deeds  of  our  American  heroes, 
until  the  time  comes  when  we  make  the  lives 
of  our  heroes  equally  real  to  them  through 
actual  representation.  They  must  learn 
through  participation  the  events  of  our  his- 
tory. Foreign-born  citizens  and  citizens  not 
foreign-born  should  participate  together. 

Always  in  our  Fourth  of  July  and  kindred 
celebrations,  our  foreign-born  American  citi- 
zens appear  in  scenes  from  the  history  of  the 
countries  which  they  have  left.  Is  it  not 
time  that  they  should  appear  in  scenes  from 
the  history  of  the  country  to  which  they  have 
come,  and  to  which  they  have  sworn  their 
allegiance?  Through  play  and  pageant  and 
festival  this  work  can  be  accomplished: 
through  play  and  pageant  and  festival  the 
foreign-born  citizens  must  learn  what  Ameri- 
canization really  means.  It  will  not  be  for 
nothing  that  they  memorize  the  actual  words 


THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT  71 

of  our  heroes.  The  actual  scenes  will  make  a 
deeper  appeal  than  ever  the  printed  page 
can  make. 

And  it  may  be  well  to  remind  even  our 
American-born  citizens  that,  in  the  words  of 
Franklin,  "  Where  Liberty  dwells,  there  is 
my  country,"  which  was  a  favorite  motto 
of  Carl  Schurz,  a  great  American,  though 
born  in  Germany. 

It  has  been  claimed  by  some  drama  en- 
thusiasts that  to  have  immigrants  acting  in 
scenes  of  our  history  rather  than  in  scenes 
of  their  own  history  will  rob  both  festival 
and  pageant  of  the  glowing  Color  that  their 
national  dress,  their  picturesque  folk  cos- 
tumes bring  to  us.  Thus,  they  will  either 
have  to  appear  in  the  drab  nondescript  garb 
of  our  present  century,  or  in  the  costumes 
of  American  history — a  history  which  covers 
a  brief  span — and  which  has  but  few  cen- 
turies of  costume  to  draw  upon.  But  this 
need  not  be  so.  The  rich  variety  of  folk 
costume  need  not  be  lost.  The  color  and 
beauty  of  folk  costume  can  be  used  in  Amer- 


72       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

ican  scenes.  It  can  be  made  a  part  of  them; 
for  there  can  always  be  scenes  showing  how 
the  tides  of  immigration  first  came  to  Amer- 
ica, and  here  folk  costume  will  blend  with 
American  historical  costume  in  a  wonderful 
way. 

Who  were  the  first  Norwegian  immigrants 
to  come  to  America?  In  what  State  and  in 
what  year  did  they  settle?  They  can  be 
shown  as  they  first  came  to  your  State,  or 
to  other  States,  or  to  your  town  in  all  the 
quaintness  of  their  peasant  garb.  Russians, 
Poles,  Portuguese,  peoples  from  the  East 
of  Europe — all  can  be  shown  as  they  first 
arrived,  just  as  the  Pilgrims  can  be  shown, 
or  the  Dutch,  or  the  French.  Each  stream 
of  foreign  life  can  be  pictured  at  the  exact 
moment  when  it  first  joined  the  main  stream 
of  American  life.  Thus  the  folk  color  will 
not  only  be  conserved,  but  given  a  new  con- 
trast and  significance. 

Indeed,  we  may  later  evolve  a  very  simple 
Greek  type  of  festival  with  American  sub- 
ject-matter. Here  the  audience  will  take 


THE  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT  73 

the  part  formerly  assigned  to  the  Greek 
chorus.  They  will  come  in  as  a  sort  of  re- 
sponse to  what  is  taking  place  on  the  stage. 
They  will  learn  their  lines  beforehand  and 
respond  chorus-like  to  the  pageant  players. 
Spontaneity  will  be  assured  by  having  audi- 
ence and  players  come  together  without  re- 
hearsal so  that  the  day  of  production  will 
unite  them  for  the  first  time.  Stuart  Walker, 
in  one  of  his  Portmanteau  Theatre  plays, 
gave  a  hint  in  this  direction,  showing  how 
actors  and  audience  could  be  united,  when 
players  seated  in  the  audience  formed  part  of 
the  play. 

The  pageant,  like  the  play,  has  a  very 
definite  technique,  and  it  is  only  when  this 
technique  is  exceedingly  skilful  that  we  get 
the  swiftly  moving,  poetic,  colorful  repre- 
sentation that  a  pageant  is  meant  to  be.  Too 
much  of  the  pageant  work  in  this  country  has 
amateurish  technique  behind  it.  The  whole 
pageant  standard  needs  to  be  raised:  needs 
to  be  infused  with  more  of  the  high  art  of 
the  theatre  in  order  to  lift  and  glorify  it. 


74       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Small  pageants  are  undoubtedly  useful,  and 
can  be  made  interesting  through  having  a 
fine  standard  of  production.  But  larger 
pageants,  in  order  to  hold  an  idea  before 
the  community  saliently  and  unforgettably, 
must  be  in  the  hands  of  creative  artists,  or 
their  purpose  will  fail. 


VI 


HOW   TO   ORGANIZE   AN   HISTORICAL 
PAGEANT 

TO  be  successful,  any  pageant,  be  it  small 
or  large,  has  the  same  general  scheme 
of  organization.  And  while  the  de- 
scription given  here  is  for  a  large  pageant 
to  be  given  in  a  large  city,  a  small  pageant 
can  be  organized  in  the  same  manner. 

Where  a  pageant  is  given  as  a  free  civic 
celebration,  involving  no  sale  of  tickets,  there 
is  less  financial  organizing  to  be  done:  in 
this  case  funds  are  appropriated  for  the 
pageant  either  by  private  or  municipal  sub- 
scription when  the  number  of  seats  has  noth- 
ing whatever  to  do  with  the  pageant  fund. 

Where  the  pageant  fund  and  the  intake 
from  the  box  office  must  be  considered,  the 
seating  capacity  of  the  pageant  grandstand 

75 


76       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

naturally  has  a  direct  bearing  on  the 
pageant  fund  and  the  price  of  admission 
must  be  in  accordance  with  that  fund. 

Plans  for  the  production  of  a  local,  his- 
torical pageant  must  be  laid  at  least  a  year 
ahead.  A  small  general  pageant  needs  only 
three  or  four  months'  planning. 

Next  to  the  desire  to  give  a  pageant,  the 
most  important  thing  is  the  money  to  finance 
the  pageant,  and  the  next  most  important 
the  securing  of  the  pageant  director.  The 
organization  of  the  pageant  might  be  said 
to  come  in  the  following  order. 

1.  (a)  Money  to  finance  the  pageant, 
(b)   Newspaper  publicity  to  that  end. 

2.  (a)   Consideration  of  a  site  on  which 

to  give  the  pageant, 
(b)   Engaging  a  pageant  director  and 
consulting  with  the  pageant  staff 
on  the  selection  of  pageant  site. 

3.  Renting  the   pageant   office   where   all 

business  is  to  be  conducted. 

4.  Renting  a  permanent  pageant  hall  with 

tributary  pageant  halls  for  rehearsal. 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT     77 

5.  Enlisting  the  pageant  players  and  as- 

signing parts. 

6.  Costumes  and  properties. 

7.  Outlining  the  musical  program  for  the 

pageant. 

The  project  of  having  a  pageant  may  be 
broached  at  some  public  meeting  called  for 
that  purpose;  at  some  public  dinner;  or  the 
ball  may  be  set  rolling  by  the  meeting  of  a 
group  of  individuals. 

Any  of  these  meetings  may  be  called  by 
the  Mayor  of  the  city  if  he  is  interested;  in 
any  case  the  Mayor  and  his  staff  must  be 
bidden  to  the  primary  meeting. 

City  historical  pageants  have  been  started 
by  the  Drama  League;  by  the  Parks  and 
Playgrounds;  by  Civic  Leagues;  by  City 
Colleges  or  Art  Associations;  by  Civic  Bet- 
terment Associations;  by  Boards  of  Trade; 
by  Local  Historical  Societies;  by  the  city 
government  officials;  or  by  a  group  of  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens  with  the  city's  best  in- 
terest at  heart. 

Newspapers  in  almost  all  cases  lend  hearty 


78       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

support  to  the  pageant  project  provided 
that  no  favoritism  is  shown  and  that  each 
paper  gets,  at  the  beginning,  the  same 
amount  of  information. 

Money  is  furnished  through  various 
sources.  The  city  government;  wealthy  citi- 
zens and  city  organizations  such  as  clubs, 
orders,  lodges  may  contribute.  The  Board 
of  Trade  in  any  city  is  generally  a  large 
contributor.  In  some  cases  the  whole 
pageant  is  financed  through  the  efforts  of 
the  wealthiest  and  most  art-loving  citizens. 
Again  it  may  be  the  city  government  that 
supplies  all  the  funds.  The  pageant  may 
be  financed  in  several  ways,  according  to 
the  kind  of  pageant  given.  The  pageant 
may  be  underwritten,  and  the  money  col- 
lected from  the  sale  of  seats  returned  to 
the  underwriters.  Or  if  the  pageant  is  given 
free,  the  money  may  be  utilized  for  the  ex- 
penses of  the  pageant  without  return.  In 
the  first  case  the  pageant  expenses  and  the 
sale  of  seats  must  be  correlated  so  that  ex- 
penses will  be  covered. 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT      79 

Nothing  can  go  forward  until  the  money 
is  raised.  To  attempt  the  pageant  without 
money  pledged  in  advance  spells  shipwreck 
for  all  concerned. 

The  next  step  is  to  look  over  all  available 
ground  with  an  eye  to  the  fact  that  from 
ten  to  forty  thousand  people  will  have  to 
be  seated.  There  must  also  be  space  for 
stage  dressing  rooms.  And  the  vista  back 
of  the  stage  must,  if  possible,  be  good  to 
look  upon.  Also  the  spot  selected  must  be 
easy  of  access.  The  general  arrangement 
and  acoustics  must  be  considered.  Indeed, 
the  pageant  site  plays  more  of  a  part  in 
determining  what  the  pageant  is  to  be  than 
most  people  realize. 

No  pageant  site  can  be  fully  decided  upon 
until  the  director  has  seen  it,  so  one  of  the 
first  steps  is  to  engage  the  pageant  staff 
consisting  of  the  pageant  director  who  is 
also  often  the  author  of  the  pageant;  a 
pageant  stage  manager,  usually  with  two 
assistant  managers;  the  director  of  the 
pageant  dances  with  two  assistants,  one  of 


80       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

whom  may  or  may  not  be  the  pageant  solo 
dancer. 

The  musical  director  of  the  pageant  must 
also  be  engaged  so  that  the  pageant  or- 
chestra of  symphony  size,  or  even  larger, 
can  begin  its  work  as  early  as  possible. 
There  must  be  an  assistant  musical  director, 
and  a  group  of  accompanists  for  possible 
indoor  rehearsals  of  the  dances.  Or  per- 
haps a  brass  band  may  be  used  instead  of 
an  orchestra:  it  depends  on  the  size  of  the 
pageant  grounds. 

There  must  also  be  a  press  agent  who 
attends  to  all  printed  matter  concerned  with 
the  pageant  and  who  works  with  the  news- 
papers, supplying  them  with  details.  There 
must  be  a  director  of  costumes  and  a  ward- 
robe mistress;  a  master  carpenter  and  two 
assistant  stage  carpenters,  head  electrician 
and  assistants.  All  these  work  in  connection 
with  local  committees  who  augment  the 
pageant  staff.  None  of  the  units  of  the 
pageant  staff  should  be  engaged  without  the 
full  O.K.  of  the  pageant  author  and  direc- 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT      81 

tor,  who  is  the  supreme  dictator  in  all  that 
concerns  the  artistic  side  of  the  pageant. 

The  organization  of  the  pageant  com- 
mittees can  be  mapped  out  by  the  director, 
as  soon  as  he  has  been  consulted  with.  Prac- 
tical, active  chairmen  should  be  chosen  for 
each  committee.  These  committees  and  their 
chairmen  include  the  Chairman  of  the  Gen- 
eral Pageant  Committee,  the  Pageant  Treas- 
urer, the  Pageant  Secretary,  Chairman  of 
the  Pageant  Site  Committee,  Chairman  of 
the  Community  Organization  Committee, 
Chairman  of  the  Cast  Committee  (who  helps 
with  the  selecting  of  the  casts,  etc.,  etc.), 
Chairman  of  the  Pageant  Grounds,  whose 
duties  include  looking  after  policing,  light- 
ing, sanitation  and  general  arrangement, 
Chairman  of  Seating  Arrangement,  Chair- 
man of  Printing  Committee  (pageant  post- 
ers, programs,  books,  etc.). 

A  pageant  office  should  be  rented  over 
which  the  pageant  Secretary  presides,  with 
a  staff  of  stenographers.  This  office  answers 
and  files  all  letters  concerning  the  pageant; 


82       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

card  catalogues  the  pageant  participants; 
keeps  on  hand  a  small  library  of  books  and 
pamphlets  on  pageantry;  is  the  general  clear- 
ing house  and  bureau  of  information  for  the 
whole  pageant. 

A  large  hall  must  be  rented  for  the  in- 
door pageant  rehearsals,  dances,  etc.,  in  a 
convenient  part  of  town.  Several  smaller 
halls  must  also  be  rented  so  that  several 
rehearsals  can  be  kept  going  at  one  and 
the  same  time. 

All  these  halls  must  be  supplied  with 
pianos,  chairs,  tables,  and  must  be  well  lit 
and  ventilated.  One  of  these  halls  must  be 
the  place  where  the  costumes  are  made. 
Seamstresses,  volunteer  or  paid  or  both, 
must  be  in  readiness  as  well  as  machines, 
sewing  tables  and  chairs,  and  all  the  para- 
phernalia for  making  such  costumes  as  are 
not  rented  outright. 

The  enlisting  of  the  pageant  players  is 
done  through  the  pageant  office.  If  it  be  a 
local  historical  pageant  the  people  taking 
part  in  it  as  a  rule  play  the  roles  of  their 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT      83 

own  ancestors;  next  to  these,  people  of  good 
appearance  and  with  acting  talent  are  chosen; 
dances  are  selected  from  all  the  dance  groups 
of  the  city;  the  pageant  chorus  is  made  up 
of  all  city  choirs  and  singing  societies. 

Card  catalogues  are  made  of  all  these 
participants,  their  names  and  addresses  and 
the  episodes  in  which  they  appear;  they  are 
kept  informed  of  rehearsal  through  a  post- 
card system  and  through  the  bulletins  printed 
in  the  daily  papers. 

The  pageant  orchestra  is  made  up  of  all 
the  union  orchestras  in  the  city  augmented 
by  the  union  orchestras  of  nearby  towns. 
Or  if  a  brass  band  is  used,  it  is  augmented 
for  the  occasion. 

The  city  is  now  organized  and  under  ex- 
pert leadership  may  proceed  to  its  pageant. 

The  less  expensive  smaller  pageant  can 
be  given  by  having  a  somewhat  smaller  cast 
of  participants  and  by  having  the  pageant 
given  in  the  open  air  in  the  day  time  or 
night  time  on  a  stage  with  only  inexpensive 
lighting  effects — in  as  far  as  lighting  effects 


84       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

can  be  inexpensive.  This  pageant  must  be 
gone  about  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  a 
great  city  pageant:  and  a  smaller  sum  of 
money  raised  in  the  same  manner.  The 
pageant  staff  is  small,  consisting  of  the 
pageant  author  and  director  and  his  or 
her  assistant;  a  dance  director  with  a  local 
assistant;  a  musical  director;  two  accom- 
panists, and  a  local  director  of  costumes 
and  properties  who  may  be  called  the  art 
director  and  who  works  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  pageant  director. 

The  pageant  Secretary,  with  one  assistant, 
can  run  the  office  work  for  this  smaller 
pageant.  There  is  of  course  a  musical  di- 
rector, press  agent,  stage  carpenter,  and 
stage  electrician — all  local  men.  The  cos- 
tumes may  be  in  charge  of  a  local  commit- 
tee. Many  of  them  may  be  hired  from  a 
costumer.  When  they  are  made,  the  ma- 
terials may  be  ordered  wholesale  from  the 
local  shops. 

Exactly  the  same  care  must  be  exercised 
in  all  details  of  the  smaller  pageant,  par- 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT      85 

ticularly  in  the  detail  of  selecting  the  pageant 
site,  which  must  be  just  as  perfect  for  a 
small  pageant  as  for  a  large  one. 

The  forces  which  a  small  city  gathers  to 
itself  may  aid  in  keeping  down  the  gen- 
eral cost.  The  foreign  citizens  will  have 
national  costumes  which  can  be  utilized  in 
folk  dances.  Parks  and  Playgrounds  chil- 
dren will  also  have  folk  costumes  which  can 
be  used.  The  costumes  of  Playground  fes- 
tivals such  as  "  Winter  Driving  Out  Spring  " 
and  the  "  Coming  of  the  Spring  Flowers," 
can  be  utilized  in  some  symbolic  scene. 

Local  schools  and  high  schools  will  have 
their  store  of  costumes  to  add.  Often  there 
are  fairy  costumes  which  can  be  used  in  sym- 
bolic scenes:  and  Puritan  costumes,  which 
can  be  utilized.  The  costumes  of  Red  Men 
and  Daughters  of  Pocahontas  are  another 
asset.  So,  too,  are  the  costumes  of  the  Camp- 
fire  Girls  and  Girl  Scouts. 

Civil  War  veterans  already  have  their 
costumes.  Daughters  of  Veterans  are  apt 
to  have  many  a  quaint  poke  bonnet  and  hoop 


86       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

skirt  dress  tucked  away  in  the  attics.  Schools 
of  classic  dancing  can  add  their  quota  of  cos- 
tumes, usually  along  Greek  lines.  System 
and  imagination  will  work  wonders  in  this 
field. 

One  of  the  easiest  and  most  successful 
ways  of  organizing  a  city  or  town  is  to 
waken  group  pride  and  group  responsibility 
by  having  organizations  represent  their  own 
calling.  Knights  of  Columbus  can  take  part 
in  the  scenes  of  discovery.  Foreign  citi- 
zens in  scenes  of  early  settlement  where  such 
settlement  has  come  about  through  the  for- 
eign element,  Scotch,  Scandinavian,  French- 
Canadian,  or  Italian. 

The  Red  Men  and  Daughters  of  Poca- 
hontas,  with  Campfire  Girls  and  Boy  Scouts, 
can  take  part  in  the  Indian  scenes.  May- 
flower societies  and  Pioneer  societies  in  the 
pioneer  scenes.  Colonial  Sons,  Colonial 
Daughters,  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  and 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  as  well  as  the 
members  of  local  historical  societies,  can  take 
part  in  the  Colonial  scenes. 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT      87 

In  ancient  times  in  England  when  me- 
diaeval pageants  were  given  on  floats  and 
drawn  through  the  English  towns,  these 
pageants  were  organized  in  the  following 
manner.  The  pageant  participants  belonged 
to  different  guilds  of  workers,  and  the  parts 
they  played  were  identical  with  their  occu- 
pations. Thus  the  shipwrights,  sailors,  and 
fishmongers  played  the  nautical  scenes; 
shepherds  and  farmers  played  the  pastoral 
scenes;  the  guild  of  merchants,  dyers,  and 
weavers  played  still  other  scenes.  What  held 
good  in  the  days  of  great  Queen  Bess  still 
holds  good  today. 

Thus  the  Board  of  Trade  in  any  city 
can  represent  men  trading  with  the  Indians; 
Sons  of  1812  and  Daughters  of  1812  will 
work  up  the  1812  scenes;  the  Society  of  Co- 
lonial Wars  will  also  be  called  upon  to  act. 
For  Civil  War  scenes  there  are  the  Veterans 
and  Sons  of  Veterans;  the  Women's  Relief 
Corps  and  Daughters  of  Veterans;  if  any 
allusion  to  the  Spanish  War  is  wished,  there 
are  Spanish  War  Veterans.  And  for  scenes 


88       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

relating  to  the  World  War  there  will  be 
hundreds  of  participants  ready  and  wait- 
ing. 

If  there  is  a  Dame  School  episode  then 
all  school  teachers  and  school  children  can 
take  part  in  it,  most  appropriately.  For 
scenes  of  the  city's  growth  and  commerce 
there  are  the  labor  unions.  For  quaint  old 
"  singing  schools  "  there  are  the  city  choirs. 
For  scenes  of  dramatic  intensity,  elocution 
schools  and  local  dramatic  societies  can  be 
drawn  on.  For  scenes  of  immigration  there 
are  the  foreign  citizens.  For  battle  scenes 
militia  or  regular  troops  can  be  used.  For 
scenes  in  which  marines  are  used,  marines 
will  be  lent  from  warships.  For  "  churchly  " 
scenes  a  minister  and  his  whole  congregation 
can  volunteer. 

Pictures  relating  to  the  pageant  should 
be  on  view  wherever  possible. 

Essays  on  the  pageant  should  form  a  part 
of  the  local  school  curriculum.  Story-telling 
classes  in  the  libraries  should  give  a  synop- 
sis of  the  pageant  in  condensed,  simplified 


ORGANIZING  AN  HISTORICAL  PAGEANT      89 

form  so  that  the  youngest  in  the  audience 
can  grasp  its  general  meaning. 

To  be  truly  and  permanently  successful 
the  pageant  must  permeate  the  life  of  the 
city  through  and  through. 

As  to  the  pageant  budget,  pageant  ex- 
perts have  found  that  as  every  city  and 
town  in  the  United  States  has  a  different 
pageant  problem,  a  general  or  approximate 
budget  is  an  impossibility.  Each  city  or 
town  has  to  have  its  own  special  financial 
diagnosis  made  for  it,  after  all  its  resources 
and  lack  of  resources  have  been  taken  into 
consideration.  For  instance,  such  as  (1) 
whether  or  not  there  is  a  grandstand  al- 
ready built;  (2)  whether  there  are  costumes 
already  available  which  can  be  drawn  upon. 
Of  course  the  number  of  people  taking  part 
in  the  pageant  and  the  size  of  the  audience 
exert  a  great  influence  on  the  pageant  budget 
also.  And  whether  or  not  the  pageant  is  a 
free  civic  celebration  has  its  bearing  on  the 
case.  Often  for  a  free  civic  celebration 
the  audience  is  seated  on  a  hillside,  and  thus 


90       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

the  expense  of  a  grandstand  is  done  away 
with.  Then  whether  or  not  the  pageant  is 
given  at  night  is  an  important  feature,  as 
the  wiring  of  the  grounds  is  expensive. 

The  least  expensive  pageant  is  the  pageant 
already  published  in  book  form.  All  local 
pageants  have  to  be  specially  written  for 
the  occasion,  and  put  into  the  hands  of  an 
artist  who  can  wring  the  most  effect  from 
the  historical  material  at  hand. 

Very  small  simple  pageants,  already  pre- 
pared in  book  form,  can  sometimes,  under 
skilful  direction,  be  given  for  a  few  hun- 
dreds of  dollars.  The  local  pageant  is  more 
expensive,  costing  thousands  where  the  pre- 
pared pageant  costs  hundreds.  And  in  this 
case  it  must  be  remembered  that  a  well- 
managed  pageant  should  not  only  pay  for 
itself,  but  earn  half  as  much  again.  This 
has  been  the  case  with  every  well-planned 
pageant  in  this  country. 


vn 

THE  OUTDOOR  THEATRE  AND  YOUR 
TOWN 

OUTDOOR  theatres  in  America  are  of 
four  types.  The  Greek  Theatre,  like 
that  of  Berkeley,  California,  and  the 
Lewisohn  Stadium  in  New  York;  theatres 
that  have  a  natural  background  like  that  of 
the  huge  open-air  amphitheatre  in  Forest 
Park,  St.  Louis,  or  the  Sylvan  National 
Theatre  at  Washington — that  is,  a  theatre 
with  a  grassy  stage,  flanked  by  trees,  and  with 
a  lagoon  in  the  foreground.  And  the  rustic 
woodland  theatre  often  found  in  small  parks 
in  American  cities.  Here  the  auditorium, 
usually  on  a  hillside,  has  rustic  benches  and 
the  stage  is  au  naturel.  The  fourth  type, 
less  used  than  the  others,  is  the  formal 

Italian  or  as  it  is  sometimes  called  the  Ital- 

91 


92       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

ian  Garden  type  of  theatre  with  turf  stage 
and  formal  clipped  hedges  and  trees. 

By  their  type  of  architecture  certain  of 
these  theatres  preclude  certain  kinds  of  plays. 
Greek,  Roman,  and  symbolic  plays  and 
pageants  as  well  as  such  Shakespearean  plays 
as  Midsummer  Night's  Dream  and  some 
of  the  plays  of  Maeterlinck  can  be  given 
in  the  Greek  Theatre;  but  patriotic  pageants 
and  patriotic  American  plays  cannot  be  so 
produced  without  a  sense  of  anachronism. 
Indian  plays  or  plays  of  pioneer  life  are 
absolutely  impossible  for  this  setting. 

In  the  Italian  Garden  type  of  theatre 
fantastic,  XVIIIth  century,  intensely  mod- 
ern, or  mediaeval  plays  can  be  given,  in- 
cluding such  classics  as  some  of  Moliere's 
comedies  and  Shakespeare's  Twelfth  Night. 
It  is  impossible  to  give  symbolic,  patriotic, 
or  Greek  plays  in  such  a  theatre  without  a 
sense  of  anachronism. 

Of  course  Indian  or  frontier  plays  or 
plays  of  Puritan  life  are  impossible  in  this 
type  of  theatre. 


THE  OUTDOOR  THEATRE  93 

The  rustic  theatre  lends  itself  to  rustic 
and  fairy  tale  plays ;  to  plays  of  the  XVIIIth 
century,  to  certain  mediaeval  plays  such  as 
Shakespeare's  Winter's  Tale  and  As  You 
Like  It.  It  is  also  possible  for  small  his- 
torical pageants.  But  for  Greek  plays  or 
for  symbolic  plays  it  does  not  make  a  par- 
ticularly good  setting.  However,  it  is  much 
less  narrow  in  its  scope  than  the  Greek 
Theatre  or  the  Italian  Garden  Theatre. 

Of  these  outdoor  theatres,  the  theatre 
with  a  simple  background  of  trees,  and  a 
grassy  stage,  is  the  best  because  it  lends  it- 
self to  every  kind  of  pageant  and  play. 
With  the  use  of  pillars  it  can  become  Greek; 
or  with  the  use  of  formal  pergolas  and 
clipped  trees  in  pots  it  can  be  transformed 
into  a  garden  theatre.  Also  it  can  easily  be 
touched  into  rusticity. 

Again  and  again  in  small  city  parks  where 
marble  or  wooden  colonnades  or  pergolas 
have  been  built  as  rest  houses  or  as  a  refuge 
for  mothers  and  their  children  against  the 
glare  of  the  sun,  the  pillars  will  be  placed 


94       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

so  that  it  is  absolutely  impossible  to  use 
these  colonnades  as  tiny  outdoor  theatres. 
And  yet,  with  only  a  little  planning  in  ad- 
vance, this  could  so  easily  be  remedied.  The 
colonnade  could  be  raised  a  few  steps,  and 
the  pillars  grouped  so  that  exits  and  en- 
trances would  be  possible,  and  presto!  an 
adequate  miniature  theatre  in  the  midst  of 
a  congested  district.  Here  one-act  plays 
could  be  given  by  the  children  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

Draped  with  flags  these  miniature  park 
theatres  could  become  centers  of  patriotism 
on  all  stirring  national  occasions:  here  it 
would  be  possible  to  repeat  bits  of  what  has 
been  done  in  the  larger  outdoor  theatres 
of  the  city. 

The  porches  and  porticos  of  public  build- 
ings have  possibilities  as  small  outdoor  the- 
atres of  which  as  yet  almost  no  advantage 
has  been  taken.  Properly  lit,  and  with 
the  downstairs  windows  effaced  by  proper 
screening,  they  offer  possibilities  for  Fourth 
of  July  and  Christmas  celebrations. 


THE  OUTDOOR  THEATRE  95 

Since  cities  are  not  planned  with  outdoor 
theatres  in  mind,  it  is  very  hard  to  combine 
accessibility,  beauty,  and  practicality.  To 
be  truly  Americanizing  and  democratizing, 
to  be  truly  a  great  meeting  place  for  the 
people  any  city  outdoor  theatre  should  be 
reached  by  not  more  than  one  car  fare.  But 
when  this  difficulty  is  met  others  arise.  Too 
many  accessible  outdoor  theatres  have  great 
modern  public  buildings  and  sometimes  even 
gas  tanks  visible  in  the  distance.  Planned 
for  in  advance  such  a  theatre  can  have  a  vista 
of  trees  specially  planted,  and  immense  wire 
screens  on  which  vines  are  run  to  a  great 
height.  This  will  sometimes  help  to  screen 
an  impossible  background. 

A  partial  list  of  cities  possessing  outdoor 
community  theatres  may  be  of  interest: 

In  California — Bakersfield,  Berkeley,  Car- 
mel,  Claremont,  Monticito,  Mount  Tamal- 
pais,  Ponta  Loma,  Redlands,  Santa  Cruz. 
In  District  of  Columbia — Washington.  In 
Illinois — Chicago.  In  Maine — Bethel  and 
Blue  Hill.  In  Massachusetts — Gloucester 


96       PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

and  Sterling.  In  Michigan — Detroit  (Cran- 
brook)  and  Ludington.  In  Minnesota— 
Anoka.  In  Missouri — Columbia  and  St. 
Louis.  In  New  Hampshire — Peterborough. 
In  New  York — Lake  Placid,  New  York 
City,  and  Scarborough.  In  North  Dakota- 
Grand  Forks.  In  South  Dakota — Yankton. 
In  Virginia — Harrisburg.  In  Washington— 
Tacoma. 

This  is  not  counting  the  great  open-air 
stadiums  of  Yale  and  Harvard;  nor  the 
sylvan  theatres  of  Wellesley,  Vassar,  and 
Mount  Holyoke;  nor  the  beautiful  Greek 
Theatre  of  Pomona  College,  California. 

All  outdoor  theatres  vary  in  cost,  as  the 
grounds  of  each  one  need  different  treat- 
ment, as  well  as  tree  planting,  etc.*  And 
the  fees  of  architects  vary  greatly.  Under 
normal  conditions  an  outdoor  stage  of  grass, 
banked  by  trees  that  may  have  to  be 
trimmed,  but  that  do  not  have  to  be  planted; 


*  See  "  Open  Air  Greek  Theatre,"  page  249,  in  Costumes  and 
Scenery  for  Amateurs,  published  by  Henry  Holt  and  Company, 
at  $1.75. 


THE  OUTDOOR  THEATRE  97 

with  ground  that  has  a  small  amount  of  level- 
ing or  landscaping ;  and  with  a  wooden  grand- 
stand that  seats  five  hundred  people  can  be 
had  for  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
In  this  case  the  fee  of  the  theatre  specialist 
must  be  a  small  one.  He  must  be  one  who 
does  this  particular  piece  of  work  half  for 
the  love  of  it,  and  for  its  civic  significance. 
This  sum  includes  all  expenses  for  a  small 
outdoor  theatre.*  (Larger  outdoor  theatres 
vary  in  proportion.)  Of  course  this  small 
sum  does  not  include  lighting  the  theatre, 
which  can  only  be  used  for  daylight  per- 
formances until  a  lighting  system  is  in- 
stalled. 

Moderate  priced  Greek  pillars  can  be  had 
from  the  Hartwell  Sanders  Co.,  2155  Elston 
Avenue,  Chicago,  Illinois.  A  catalogue  will 
be  sent  upon  receipt  of  three  cents  in  stamps. 

*  It  does  not,  of  course,  include  the  cost  of  the  land. 


VIII 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR   PATRIOTIC   CELEBRA- 
TIONS  OF   FOURTH   OF    JULY   AND 
OTHER  NATIONAL   HOLIDAYS 

I.    Dramatic   Material   Definitely   Appli- 
cable to  the  Great  War.* 
II.    Dramatic   Material   for    General   Pa- 
triotic Holidays* 
III.    American  Plays  and  Pageants.* 

I.    DRAMATIC     MATERIAL     DEFINITELY     APPLI- 
CABLE TO  THE  GREAT  WAR 

(For  Adults) 

Pawns  of  the  War.    By  Bosworth  Crocker. 
Little,    Brown    and    Co.     $1.25.     Somewhat 

*  The  books  listed  can  be  ordered  through  a  local  bookseller, 
or  if  a  local  bookseller  is  not  available,  they  can  be  had  from 
some  large  bookstore  that  makes  a  specialty  of  drama  books, 
such  as  the  Drama  League  Book  Store,  Riggs  Building,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.,  or  the  Drama  League  Book  Store,  7  East  Forty- 
second  Street,  New  York  City,  or  Brentano's,  Fifth  Avenue 
and  Twenty-eighth  Street,  New  York  City,  or  A.  C.  McClurg 
&  Co.,  Chicago,  111. 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  99 

elaborate  play  dealing  with  the  great  war. 
Cast  of  men  and  women. 

Rise  Up,  Jennie  Smith.  By  Rachael  L. 
Field.  Drama  League  Prize  Play.  Pub- 
lished by  Samuel  French,  28  West  Thirty- 
eighth  Street,  New  York  City.  25  cents. 
One-act  play  with  a  simple  interior  setting 
and  the  scene  laid  in  America.  Deals  with 
the  patriotism  of  a  little  wage-earner  who 
makes  a  great  sacrifice  for  the  love  of  her 
country.  Charming  play.  Could  be  given 
by  a  small  cast  of  women  or  girls. 

The  Drawing  of  the  Sword.  By  Thomas 
Wood  Stevens.  A  Red  Cross  Pageant.  Can 
be  obtained  from  the  Drama  League  Book 
Shop,  7  East  Forty-second  Street,  New 
York  City.  50  cents.  Beautiful  patriotic 
pageant.  Requires  a  cast  of  at  least  fifty, 
and  should  have  more.  Men  and  women. 
A  great  chance  for  picturesque  costumes. 

The  Land  Where  the  Lost  Things  Go. 
By  Doris  Halman.  Drama  League  Prize 
Play.  Published  by  Samuel  French,  New 
York  City.  25  cents.  This  highly  patriotic 


100     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

play  requires  a  medium-size  cast  of  men 
and  women.  The  costumes  and  setting  are 
simple.  It  is  easy  and  effective  to  give. 

The  Unseen  Host  and  Other  War  Plays. 
By  Percival  Wilde.  Little,  Brown  and  Co. 
$1.25.  These  stirring  one-act  plays  have 
been  acted  in  many  Little  Theatres  through- 
out the  country.  All  the  casts  are  small, 
and  the  settings  simple.  Some  can  be  given 
by  a  cast  of  women.  Others  by  a  cast  of 
men  only. 

They  the  Crucified,  and  Comrades.  By 
Florence  Taber  Holt.  Houghton  Mifflin. 
$1.00.  These  two  one-act  plays  of  France 
and  Belgium  have  just  appeared.  They  are 
stirring  and  practical,  and  should  be  widely 
acted. 

(For  Young  People) 

Girls  Over  Here.  A  one-act  play  for  girls 
by  Marie  Doran.  Published  by  Samuel 
French,  New  York.  $1.25.  Pleasing  pa- 
triotic play  with  an  all-girl  cast.  Can  be 
very  simply  given.  Is  useful  for  schools. 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  101 

Patriotic  Pageants  of  Today.  By  Jose- 
phine Thorp  and  Rosamund  Kimball.  Con- 
tains four  pageants  of  the  World  War, 
graphically  written,  picturesquely  costumed, 
and  easy  to  give.  Each  pageant  has  a  defi- 
nite idea  behind  it.  The  cast  in  each  pageant 
is  of  medium  size,  or  can  be  made  large, 
as  desired.  They  can  be  given  by  casts 
composed  of  all  girls,  or  of  boys  and  girls. 
They  can  be  given  indoors  or  outdoors. 
They  have  already  been  widely  acted.  The 
pageants  contained  in  the  book  are  the 
following:  The  Torch,  The  Answer,  When 
Liberty  Calls,  and  The  Call  to  the  Youth 
of  America. 

Patriotic  Plays  for  Children.  By  Virginia 
Olcott.  Dodd,  Mead  &  Co.  $1.00.  Plays 
for  little  children.  These  brief  plays  deal 
with  such  subjects  as  Thrift,  Red  Cross 
Work,  Food  Saving,  etc.  They  can  be  easily 
given  by  casts  of  all  girls  or  by  boys  and 
girls.  The  settings  are  simple  and  adapted 
for  schoolrooms. 

The  Maid  of  Orleans.    Play  on  the  life  of 


102     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Jeanne  D'Arc,  by  Augusta  Stevenson.  In 
Children's  Classics  in  Dramatic  Form. 
Houghton  Mifflin.  $1.00.  Simple  setting, 
easily  managed.  The  play  requires  a  rather 
large  cast  of  young  people.  It  could  be 
made  beautiful  and  effective.  There  are 
several  acts;  but  the  changes  of  scenery  are 
not  difficult. 

The  Man  Without  a  Country.  A  play 
for  boys  by  Augusta  Stevenson.  In  Chil- 
dren's Classics  in  Dramatic  Form.  Hough- 
ton  Mifflin.  $1.00  net.  Excellent  play. 
Very  patriotic.  Not  difficult  to  give.  Could 
be  produced  by  large  cast  of  boys. 

Festivals  dealing  with  the  World  War 
in  which  the  different  countries  of  the  Allies 
appear  can  readily  be  put  together  from 
material  already  published,  both  songs  and 
poems.  Descriptions  of  how  such  material 
can  be  put  together  are  given  on  page  112 
of  this  chapter.  The  books  in  which  such 
songs  and  poems  and  dialogues  can  be  found 
are  the  following: 

American  Patriotic  Prose  and  Verse,  pub- 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  103 

lished  by  A.  C.  McClurg  &  Co.,  Chicago,  111., 
selected  and  edited  by  Ruth  Davis  Stevens 
and  David  Harrison  Stevens.  This  contains 
"  Liberty  Enlightening  the  World,"  by  Ed- 
mund Clarence  Stedman,  page  155  in  this 
volume.  (This  poem  can  be  found  in  his 
Complete  Poetical  Works,  published  by 
Houghton  Mifflin  &  Co.  Also  "  The  Flower 
of  Liberty,"  by  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes, 
page  154  of  this  volume.  (Or  in  his  Com- 
plete Works,  published  by  Houghton  Mifflin 
&  Co. 

Very  valuable  for  poetic  interpretation  of 
the  World  War  is  The  Battle  Line  of  De- 
mocracy, published  by  the  Committee  on 
Public  Information,  10  Jackson  Place, 
Washington,  D.  C.  15  cents.  Every  Allied 
country  in  the  World  War  is  represented  by 
a  stirring  poem.  Belgium  is  represented  by 
two  poems,  one  of  them  "  In  Flanders 
Fields."  On  page  99  there  is  a  fine  poem 
on  Jeanne  D'Arc  representing  France.  A 
Festival  of  the  English-speaking  Race  could 
easily  be  devised  along  the  lines  suggested 


104     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

on  page  112  of  this  present  chapter  by  using 
the  noble  poems  on  America,  England,  Ire- 
land, Scotland,  Canada,  and  India  that  appear 
in  this  excellent  handbook. 

Also  filled  with  patriotic  material  easily 
convertible  into  patriotic  festivals  is  America 
at  War:  A  Handbook  of  Patriotic  Educa- 
tion,, published  for  the  National  Security 
League  by  George  H.  Doran,  New  York. 
$1.50.  (The  National  Security  League,  19 
West  Forty-fourth  Street,  New  York  City.) 

A  Book  of  Verse  of  the  World  War.  Edi- 
ted by  W.  R.  Wheeler.  Yale  University 
Press,  New  Haven,  Conn.  $2.00  net.  Con- 
tains a  wonderfully  dramatic  poem  on  Bel- 
gium, "  The  Refugees,"  by  Hermann  Hage- 
dorn.  And  a  poem  by  Katherine  Tynan, 
page  167,  called  "  High  Summer,"  that  can- 
not fail  to  win  a  patriotic  response. 

There  is  also  Poems  of  the  World  War, 
by  J.  W.  Cuncliffe,  published  by  the  Mac- 
millan  Company,  New  York.  $1.50  net. 

For  ways  of  combining  these  patriotic 
songs  and  recitations  so  that  they  will  make 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  105 

festivals  pertaining  to  the  World  War,  see 
specimen  celebration  on  page  117  of  this 
present  chapter. 

America,  Belgium,  France,  England,* 
Italy,  and  the  rest  of  the  Allies  wearing 
symbolic  costumes,  can  each  speak  a  poem 
taken  from  any  of  these  sources.  And  in 
between  the  recitations  of  these  poems  the 
national  airs  of  the  Allied  countries  can  be 
played,  or  the  national  songs  sung.f 

Belgium,  for  instance,  may  be  a  tragic- 
looking  figure  in  black,  wearing  a  long 
transparent  black  veil  over  her  face  and 
hair.  She  may  recite  "  The  Refugees,"  by 
Hermann  Hagedorn.  Then  the  stage  and 
auditorium  may  grow  absolutely  dark  while 
a  man's  voice  recites  the  poignant  "  In  Flan- 
ders Fields."  Then  the  stage  may  lighten, 
and  Jeanne  D'Arc,  either  in  coat  of  mail  or 
as  a  peasant  maid,  may  appear  to  speak  for 

*  Where  words  are  not  needed  "  Rule  Britannia "  or 
Elgar's  "  Pomp  and  Circumstance "  should  be  used  for  the 
entrance  of  Britain. 

t  National  Hymns  of  the  A  lliet,  published  by  G.  Schirmer, 
New  York,  50  cents  net. 


106     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

France.  Then  the  "  Marseillaise  "  is  played, 
and  so  on.  This  celebration  may  be  given 
out  of  doors  against  a  background  of  trees 
or  indoors  in  a  hall  on  a  stage  against  sim- 
ply hung  curtains,  with  the  flags  of  the 
Allies  draped  in  the  center.  Those  direct- 
ing the  celebration  will  find  poems  in 
magazines  that  will  prove  dramatically  ap- 
plicable. 

II.     DRAMATIC     MATERIAL     FOR     GENERAL     PA- 
TRIOTIC   HOLIDAYS 

(Dramatic  Material  Available  in  Book  Form) 
A  Pageant  of  Independence  Day.  By 
Thomas  Wood  Stevens.  Published  by  the 
Stage  Guild,  Railway  Exchange  Building, 
Chicago,  111.  50  cents.  Outdoor  pageant. 
Very  patriotic.  Adaptable  to  any  part  of 
the  country.  Requires  a  cast  of  men,  women, 
and  children. 

Nathan  Hale.  Play  in  four  acts  by  Clyde 
Fitch.  Published  by  Samuel  French,  New 
York.  50  cents  net.  Rather  a  large  cast 
of  men,  women,  and  children.  Colonial  cos- 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  107 

tumes.  Simple  sets.  A  thrillingly  patriotic 
play.  It  must  be  emphasized  in  this  play 
that  the  British  are  under  the  domination 
of  a  German  king. 

Sam  Average.  One-act  play  from  Yankee 
Fantasies  of  Percy  Mackaye.  Published  by 
Duffield  &  Co.  $1.25  net.  Poetic  play. 
Deeply  imbued  with  patriotism.  Easy  set- 
ting and  few  characters.  Men  and  women 
in  cast. 

The  First  Lady  in  the  Land.  By  Charles 
Nirdlinger.  Published  by  Samuel  French, 
New  York.  50  cents.  Patriotic  play  of  the 
life  and  times  of  Dolly  Madison.  Medium- 
sized  cast  of  men  and  women.  Picturesque 
setting.  Simple  sets. 

(For  Young  People) 

Little  Plays  from  American  History.  By 
Alice  Johnson  Walker.  Published  by  Henry 
Holt  and  Company.  $1.20.  This  book  con- 
tains interesting,  easily  produced  scenes  from 
the  life  of  Lincoln,  scenes  from  early  New 
England  life,  and  a  three-act  play  of  the 


108     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Revolution,  in  which  Washington  appears. 
Medium-sized  cast  of  boys  and  girls.  Has 
been  widely  acted. 

Lafayette,  Columbus,  and  The  Long 
Knives  in  Illinois.  Three  plays  for  young 
folks  by  Alice  Johnson  Walker.  (Probable 
price,  $1.40  net.  Ready  February,  1919. 
Henry  Holt  and  Company.)  Picturesque 
plays  for  medium-sized  casts  of  boys  and 
girls.  They  can  be  easily  given. 

Patriotic  Plays  and  Pageants.  By  Con- 
stance D'Arcy  Mackay.  Published  by 
Holt  and  Company.  $1.35.  This  book  con- 
tains indoor  and  outdoor  patriotic  material 
dealing  with  American  heroes  such  as  Frank- 
lin, Lincoln,  Washington;  and  such  heroines 
as  Pocahontas,  Priscilla  Mullins,  etc. 

Independence  Day,  Memorial  Day,  and 
Flag  Day.  Edited  by  Robert  Haven  Schauf- 
fler  in  Our  American  Holiday  Series,  pub- 
lished by  Moffat,  Yard  &  Co.  $1.00.  In 
this  series,  in  the  book  called  Flag  Day, 
there  is  a  celebration,  "  Building  of  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,"  on  page  209,  that  is  splendid 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  109 

for  little  boys  and  girls.  Also  for  very  little 
people  is  the  Flag  Play,  on  page  218  of  the 
same  volume. 

In  STORY  AND  PLAY  READERS,  Vol.  Ill,  by 
Anna  N.  Lutkenhaus  and  Margaret  Knox, 
published  by  The  Century  Company  (60 
cents  net) ,  can  be  found  Little  Citizens  Mak- 
ing a  New  America,  adapted  from  The  New 
Citizenship,  by  Percy  Mackaye.  Owing  to 
the  changes  wrought  by  the  World  War 
there  may  have  to  be  several  excisions  in 
this. 

III.     AMERICAN    PLAYS    AND    PAGEANTS 

All  the  plays  of  Augustus  Thomas  deal- 
ing with  States,  such  as  Arizona,  Alabama, 
etc.,  are  being  published,  with  most  inter- 
esting and  illuminating  prefaces,  by  Samuel 
French,  New  York,  at  50  cents  in  paper 
covers.  Secret  Service  and  Held  by  the 
Enemy,  Civil  War  plays  by  William  Gil- 
lette, can  be  had  from  the  same  firm  at 
the  same  price.  They  are  full-length  plays, 
the  latter  requiring  special  scenery. 


110    PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

The  Clod,  by  Lewis  Beach,  one  of  the 
Washington  Square  Players'  successes,  can 
be  had  in  '  Washington  Square  Plays " 
(Doubleday  Page  &  Co.,  Garden  City,  N.  Y., 
75  cents).  This  is  a  powerful  one-act  play 
of  Civil  War  times  with  a  small  cast.  The 
setting  is  a  simple  interior. 

The  Scarecrow.  By  Percy  Mackaye. 
Published  by  Macmillan.  $1.25  net.  New 
England  fantasy  of  XVIIIth-century  life. 
Interior  settings.  Colonial  costumes.  Med- 
ium-size cast  of  men  and  women.  Requires 
fine  acting,  especially  in  the  difficult  part  of 
the  Scarecrow. 

Trifles,  by  Susan  Glaspell,  is  a  one-act 
play  of  farm  life  in  the  Middle  West. 
Tragic  and  intense.  Small  cast  of  men  and 
women.  Simple  interior  setting.  Has  been 
widely  played.  Address  Miss  Susan  Glas- 
pell, care  The  Provincetown  Players,  Mac- 
dougal  Street,  near  Washington  Square, 
New  York. 

Polly  of  Pogue's  Run.  Played  at  The  In- 
dianapolis Little  Theatre,  Indianapolis,  In- 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  111 

diana.  This  is  an  historical  patriotic  comedy 
of  Indiana  in  Civil  War  days.  It  requires 
a  large  cast  of  men  and  women;  but  the  set- 
tings are  not  difficult.  (Drama  League 
Book  Shop,  7  East  42nd  Street,  New  York. 
35  cents.) 

Wisconsin  Plays.  Published  by  Heubsch. 
$1.25  net.  Contains  three  American  one- 
act  plays  by  American  authors.  Small  casts 
of  men  and  women.  Simple  settings.  The 
plays  in  the  volume  are  Zona  Gale's  Neigh- 
bors; In  Hospital,,  by  Thomas  Dickinson ;  and 
Glory  of  the  Morning,  by  William  Ellery 
Leonard. 

Yankee  Fantasies.  By  Percy  Mackaye. 
Published  by  Duffield.  $1.25  net.  One-act 
plays  dealing  with  New  England  life.  Small 
casts  of  men  and  women.  Very  easy  to  give. 
Well  adapted  to  small  stages. 

The  Bird's  Christmas  Carol.  By  Kate 
Douglas  Wiggin.  Houghton  Mifflin.  $1.00. 
Play  of  American  home  life.  Medium-sized 
cast  of  men,  women,  and  children.  Simple  in- 
terior settings.  Easy  and  delightful  to  give. 


112 

Joint  Owners  in  Spain.  By  Alice  Brown. 
Address  Miss  Alice  Brown,  care  of  Hough- 
ton  Mifflin,  Boston,  Mass.  Whimsical  one-act 
play  with  small  cast  composed  entirely  of 
women.  Easy  interior  set.  Has  been  very 
widely  acted. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  A  PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATION 

Very  simple  yet  effective  celebrations  for 
national  holidays  can  be  made  through 
combining  poetic  recitation  and  chorus. 
Here  and  there,  mainly  through  the  work 
of  Vachel  Lindsay,  we  are  catching 
glimpses  of  what  might  be  done  along  these 
lines. 

With  such  a  celebration  use  a  city  park 
with  a  lovely  background  vista  or  the  colon- 
nade or  Greek  portico  of  any  public  build- 
ing that  is  led  up  to  by  a  flight  of  steps.  Or 
if  a  city  park  lacking  a  fine  vista  must 
be  used,  then  make  a  solid  background  of 
trees  and  shrubs  sent  for  the  occasion  from 
a  florist.  In  these  celebrations  a  flat  back- 
ground is  necessary  in  order  that  the  partici- 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  US 

pants  may  stand  out  clearly.  Do  not  be 
afraid  of  simplicity. 

Say  that  this  background  of  green  is 
twenty-five  feet  long.  Let  it  have  a  middle 
entrance  carefully  screened  with  trees  or 
shrubs.  On  each  side  of  this  middle  en- 
trance place  a  Greek  seat  or  a  long  white 
bench  representing  a  marble  bench.  These 
seats  must  be  devoid  of  ornamentation. 

If  there  is  to  be  a  chorus  let  the  chorus 
sit  at  each  end  of  this  green  background,  in 
simple  easy  groups  on  the  grass.  (Or  on 
the  steps,  if  the  celebration  be  staged  in 
front  of  a  public  building.)  Let  them  wear 
simple  Greek  costumes  of  white  with  per- 
haps a  band  of  red,  white,  and  blue  crossed 
on  the  shoulders.  The  seats  are  used  for 
those  who  recite.  Whether  a  park  or  pub- 
lic building  is  used  the  green  background  is 
the  same. 

It  is  perfectly  easy  to  have  figures  sym- 
bolically robed  enter  one  at  a  time  from  the 
center  entrance,  speak  directly  and  clearly 
what  they  have  to  say,  and  then  seat  them- 


114     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

selves  on  the  benches  at  right  or  left.  In 
between  these  recitations  the  chorus  may 
chant  or  sing  if  desired. 

Do  not  be  afraid  that  such  a  celebration 
will  be  static.  The  color  of  the  robes  of 
the  symbolic  figures,  purple  and  orchid,  rich 
crimson,  blue  and  gold  and  white,  will  hold 
the  attention  of  an  audience.  Cheesecloth 
and  canton  flannel  may  be  used  for  the 
materials,  but  the  lines  of  the  robe  and  the 
color  scheme  must  be  as  nearly  perfect  as 
it  is  possible  for  them  to  have  them. 

The  symbolic  figures  may  be  America, 
Liberty,  the  Old  World  and  the  New  World, 
Democracy,  Tyranny,  or  any  one  of  a  dozen 
others.  Any  foreign  country  can  be  sym- 
bolized through  a  figure  wearing  a  white 
Greek  robe  with  a  mantle  in  that  country's 
color.  And  the  flag  of  the  country  may  be 
carried.  On  no  account  can  national  flags 
be  used  as  robes  or  draperies.  A  flag  is  a 
sacred  symbol.  It  can  be  carried,  but  it 
cannot  be  worn. 

Each    symbolic    figure    can   recite    appro- 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  115 

priate  lines  which  must  be  brief  in  order  to 
convey  their  full  effect.  In  between  these 
recitations  the  chorus  sings  lines  that  fit  in 
with  the  general  scheme. 

An  idea  of  such  a  festival  more  fully 
worked  out  follows  here: 

THE   NEW   PILGRIMS 
(A  IJTANY  OF  LIBERTY) 

(A  Patriotic  Celebration  for  Foreign-born 
and  American   Citizens) 

Note. — The  following  suggestions  are  given  as  a 
basis  for  an  Americanization  Festival,  or  cele- 
bration in  which  audience  and  players  partici- 
pate. 

The  stage  is  set  as  described  on  page  112. 
The  chorus,  in  Greek  robes,  seated  at  right 
and  left,  begin  the  celebration  by  singing 
Arthur  Farwell's  "Hymn  to  Liberty."* 

"  Arise,  ye  nations ;  man  is  free ! 
Hail  to  Dawn-crowned  Liberty !  " 

*  This  stirring  Hymn  to  Liberty,  words  and  music  by  Arthur 
Farwell,  is  published  by  G.  Schirmer,  3  East  Forty-third 
Street,  New  York  City,  at  10  cents  a  copy. 


116     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Enter  from  background  Liberty  sym- 
bolically costumed.  She  wears  a  white  robe 
and  a  crown  of  silver  stars.  In  one  hand 
she  carries  a  torch,  in  the  other  the  Stars 
and  Stripes.  She  stands  at  left,  and  re- 
cites "  Liberty  Enlightening  the  World,"  by 
Edmund  Clarence  Stedman. 

Liberty 

My  name  is  Liberty! 
From  out  a  mighty  land 
I  face  the  ancient  sea, 
I  lift  to  God  my  hand: 
By  day  in  heaven's  light 
A  pillar  of  fire  by  night 
At  ocean's  gate  I  stand 
Nor  bend  the  knee. 

O  ye  whose  broken  spars 
Tell  of  the  storms  ye  met, 
Enter!     Fear  not  the  bars 
Across  your  pathway  set. 
Enter  at  Freedom's   porch — 
For  you  I  lift  my  torch, 
For  you  my   coronet 
Is   rayed  with  stars. 

But  ye  that  hither  draw- 
To  desecrate  my  fee, 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS 

Nor  yet  have  held  in  awe 
The  justice  that  makes  free — 
Avaunt,  ye  darkling  brood ! 
By  right  my  house  hath  stood; 
My  name  is  Liberty, 
My  throne  is  Law. 


117 


Audience 

O  wonderful  and  bright, 
Immortal  freedom,  hail! 
Front,  in  thy  fiery  might, 
The  midnight  and  the  gale; 
Undaunted  on  this  base 
Guard  well  thy  dwelling  place. 
Till  the  last  sun  will  pale 
Let   there   be   Light! 

Enter  a  group  of  Pilgrims  from  back- 
ground. They  pause  by  Liberty,  and  com- 
ing down  from  the  stage  take  up  positions 
in  the  front  row  of  the  audience.  The  audi- 
ence sings  "  America  the  Beautiful "  by 
Katharine  Lee  Bates :  *  Enter  America. 


*  Words  and  music  can  be  had  from  Cressy  &  Allen,  534 
Congress  Street,  Portland,  Me.  5  cents  a  copy,  or  $3.00  a 
hundred. 


118     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

O  beautiful  for  spacious  skies, 
For  amber  waves  of  grain, 
For  purple  mountain  majesties 
Above  the  fruited  plain! 
America!     America! 
God  shed  His  grace  on  thee 
And  crown  thy  good  with  brotherhood 
From  sea  to  shining  sea! 

O  beautiful  for  pilgrim  feet, 
Whose  stern,  impassioned  stress 
A  thoroughfare  for  freedom  beat 
Across  the  wilderness ! 

America !     America ! 
God   mend   thine  every  flaw, 
Confirm  thy  soul  in  self-control, 
Thy  liberty  in  law. 

O  beautiful  for  heroes  proved 

In  liberating  strife, 

Who  more  than  self  .their  country  loved, 

And  mercy  more  than  life! 

America !     America ! 
May  God  thy  gold  refine 
Till  all  success  be  nobleness 
And  every  gain  divine! 

O  beautiful  for  patriot  dream 
[That  sees  beyond  the  years 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  119 

Thine  alabaster  cities  gleam 
Undiramed  by  human  tears! 

America !     America ! 
God  shed  His  grace  on  thee 
And  crown  thy  good  with  brotherhood 
From  sea  to  shining  sea! 

Enter  from  background  the  New  Pilgrims 
wearing  their  native  immigrant  costumes. 
Each  New  Pilgrim  carries  the  flag  of  his 
or  her  country.  They  place  these  flags  at 
the  feet  of  America  and  each  receives 
from  her  in  return  an  American  flag, 
which  they  unfurl  and  carry  down  with 
them  to  the  first  rows  of  the  audi- 
ence. 

Liberty  then  crosses,  and  gives  to  America 
the  large  flag  which  she  (Liberty)  has  been 
holding.  Then  Liberty  returns  to  her  place, 
at  left. 

All  the  people  in  the  audience  carry  small 
American  flags. 

America  raises  her  flag;  all  the  people  in 
the  audience,  as  if  in  reply,  raise  their  flags 
also. 


120     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

The  chorus  repeats  the  chorus  of  "  America 
the  Beautiful": 

"  America !     America ! 
God    shed   His   grace   on   thee 
And  crown  thy  good  with  brotherhood 
From  shining  sea  to  sea." 

A  soldier  and  sailor  in  modern  uniform 
enter  and  stand  at  right  and  left  of  America. 

Liberty 

They  love  her  best  who  to  themselves  are  true,* 
And  what  they  dare  to  dream  of  dare  to  do ; 
They  followed  her  and  found  her 
With   danger's   sweetness    round   her; 
They  saw  her,  plumed  and  mailed, 
With  stern,   sweet  face  unveiled. 

Many  in  sad  faith  sought  for  her, 
Many  with  crossed  hands  sighed  for  her, 
But  these  our  brothers  fought  for  her, 
At  life's  dear  peril  wrought  for  her, 
So  loved  her  that  they  died  for  her. 

Foreign-born   Citizens    (in   the   audience) 

We  sit  here  in  the  promised  land 
That  flows  with  freedom's  honey  and  milk, 
But  'twas  they  won  it,  sword  in  hand, 
Making  the  nettle  danger  for  us  soft  as  silk. 
*  From  Lowell's  "  Ode." 


PATRIOTIC  CELEBRATIONS  121 

American  and  Foreign-born  Citizens  (in  audience) 

Oh,  beautiful!  my  country!  ours  once  more 
Smoothing  thy  gold  of  war-disheveled  hair 
O'er  such  sweet  brows  as  never  other  wore. 
Amongst  the  nations  bright  beyond  compare! 

What  are  our  lives  without  thee? 
What  are  our  lives  to  save  thee? 
We  wreck  not  what  we  gave  thee, 
We  will  not  dare  to  doubt  thee, 
But  ask  whatever  else  and  we  will  dare! 

America 

"  This  flag  which  we  honor  and  under  which  we 
serve  is  the  emblem  of  our  unity,  our  power,  our 
thought  and  purpose  in  the  nation.  It  has  no  other 
character  than  that  which  we  give  it  from  genera- 
tion to  generation." 

Audience 

"  I  pledge  allegiance  to  my  flag  and  the  Republic 
for  which  it  stands — one  nation,  indivisible,  with 
liberty  and  justice  for  all." 

Liberty 

"  Love  your  country — it  is  your  name,  your 
glory,  your  sign  among  the  peoples." 


122     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Audience 
"  Where  Liberty  dwells,  there  is  my  country." 

The  Foreign-born 

"  Flag  of  our  nation,  guardian  of  our  homes, 
whose  stars  and  stripes  stand  for  bravery,  purity, 
truth,  and  union,  we  salute  thee. 

We,  the  natives  of  distant  lands  who  find  rest 
under  thy  folds,  do  pledge  our  hearts,  our  lives, 
our  sacred  honor,  to  love  and  protect  thee,  our 
Country,  and  the  liberty  of  the  American  people 
forever." 

Players  and  audience  join  in  singing  the 
National  Anthem. 

The  orchestra  plays  John  Philip   Sousa's 
'  The   Stars   and   Stripes   Forever "   as   the 
crowd  disperses. 


IX 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  CHRISTMAS  COMMUN- 
ITY  CELEBRATIONS   AROUND   THE 
TREE  OF  LIGHT 

ALL  the  celebrations  given  here  are  de- 
signed for  outdoor  production  round 
the  Community  Christmas  Tree.    But 
it  will  be  perfectly  possible  to  transfer  them 
indoors  to  a  hall,  and  have  the   Christmas 
Tree  on  the  stage  of  the  hall,  with  the  carol 
singers  marching  up  the  aisles  of  the  hall, 
and  from  thence  up  a  flight  of  steps  to  the 
stage. 

For  other  Patriotic  and  American  cele- 
brations, see  pages  112-116  of  this 
volume. 

THE  STAB  IN  THE  EAST 

(A  Christmas  Community  Celebration  for  For- 
eign-born and  American  Citizens,  to  be  given  in  a 
city  park  around  the  Tree  of  Light.) 

128 


124      PARIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

For  this  celebration  the  Tree  of  Light  will 
have  to  be  raised  some  six  feet  higher  than  it 
ordinarily  is  by  means  of  iron  stanchions. 
About  the  tree  in  a  circle  should  run  four 
wooden  tiers  or  steps  very  firmly  built  and 
painted  dark  pine-green. 

If  possible,  the  electric  lighting  of  the  Tree 
should  be  arranged  so  that  it  can  be  turned 
off  and  on.  At  the  top  of  the  Tree  should 
be  a  great  star  of  electric  light. 

Four  pathways  leading  from  the  Tree 
should  be  roped  off, — North,  South,  East, 
West, — so  that  the  Christmas  crowd  cannot 
break  into  them.  These  pathways  should  be 
well  lit  by  electric  light.  The  rest  of  the 
ground  surrounding  the  Tree  should  be  in 
semi-darkness,  so  that  all  the  light  is  focused 
on  the  Tree  and  the  pathways. 

Before  the  celebration  begins  the  lights 
on  the  Tree  are  turned  out.  Christmas  carol 
singers  scattered  about  through  the  audience 
sing  "  The  Christ  Child's  Christmas  Tree  ";  * 

*  By  Arthur  Farwell,  words  by  Jean  Dwight  Franklin,  pub- 
lished by  G.  Schirmer,  3  East  Forty-third  Street,  New  York, 
at  10  cents  a  copy. 


CHRISTMAS  CELEBRATIONS  125 

Come,  gather.     Rich  and  poor  are  one, 
Parent  and  child,  and  the  strange  lone, 
For  the  heart  of  the  City  goes  out  tonight 
In  a  burst  of  music,  a  flood  of  light; 
And  the  Christ-Child  spirit,  divinely  fair, 
That  illumined  the  manger  cold  and  bare 
Is  born  again  in  the  City  square! 

Next  the  carol  singers  give  "  Oh,  Little 
Town  of  Bethlehem,"  by  Phillips  Brooks. 

Then  the  great  star  at  the  top  of  the  Tree 
is  lit,  the  rest  of  the  Tree  being  dark. 

From  the  West,  one  group  in  white  and 
one  group  in  pale  blue  and  gold  and  crim- 
son— like  the  colors  of  stained  glass  win- 
dows— come  the  Christmas  angels.  The  little 
angels  all  in  white  with  gold  disk  halos  walk 
first.  They  carry  garlands  of  Christmas 
roses.  Next  to  them  in  costumes  copied  after 
Botticelli  come  the  taller  angels  carrying 
long  silver  candlesticks  bound  with  Christmas 
roses.  They  sing  "  Angels  from  the  Realms 
of  Glory,"*  by  Frederick  Bullard. 

The  angels  take  their  places  on  the  top 

'Published  by  Charles  Ditson  &  Co.,  New  York.    Price  12 
cents. 


126     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

of  the  tier  of  steps  around  the  Christmas 
Tree.  Their  costumes  are  worn  over  warmer 
clothes.  These  costumes  can  be  made  of 
canton  flannel  and  of  silesia  with  gilded  bur- 
laps for  cloth  of  gold.  They  must  hang  well, 
and  the  colors  must  be  tried  out  by  electric 
light  before  they  are  used.  Special  care 
should  be  given  to  the  footgear,  which  should 
consist  of  heavy  white  stockings  worn  over 
everyday  shoes.  Wings  should  not  be  used 
unless  they  are  managed  in  a  very  skilful 
manner.  Care  should  be  taken  to  have  these 
groups  well  spaced  and  not  "  set."  They 
must  not  walk  two  and  two. 

From  the  North  come  the  shepherds  sing- 
ing "While  Shepherds  Watched  Their 
Flocks  by  Night,"  by  Gerrit  Smith.*  They 
wear  brown  tunics,  with  sheepskins  over  them 
in  some  cases.  Long  brown  stockings;  dark- 
brown  sandals,  laced  to  the  knee  with  leather 
straps.  These  straps  may  be  of  brown  bur- 
lap or  oilcloth.  The  tunics  may  be  made 

*  Published  by  G.  Schirmer,  3  But  Forty-third  Street,  New 
York.    Price  12  cents. 


CHRISTMAS  CELEBRATIONS  1ST 

of  canton  flannel  or  burlap.  There  should 
be  sheepskin  caps  and  each  shepherd  should 
carry  a  staff  or  crook.  One  of  the  shepherds 
carries  a  lamb  in  his  arms.  Their  hair  falls 
loose  about  their  ears.  Still  singing  they 
group  themselves  about  the  Tree  on  the  step 
next  to  the  angels. 

From  the  East  come  the  Three  Kings  in 
brilliant,  gorgeous  costumes  of  the  East, 
bearing  gold  and  frankincense  and  myrrh. 
Their  progress  must  be  stately,  and  they 
should  approach  single  file  with  plenty  of 
space  between  them.  The  carol  singers  sing 
the  "  Three  Kings,"  by  Longfellow,  set  to 
music  by  Gerrit  Smith,*  or  Horatio  Parker's 
"  Come,  Gentles,  Rise,"  f  also  dealing  with 
the  Three  Kings. 

Next  from  the  North  come  the  children  of 
Bethlehem  in  quaint  Syrian  costumes  sugges- 
tive of  Tissot's  Life  of  Christ.  They  take 
their  places  on  the  last  step,  singing  "  The 
Guiding  Star,"  by  Frederic  Field  Bullard. 

*  Published  by  G.  Schirmer,  3  Ea«t  Forty-third  Street,  New 
York.     Price  12  cents, 
t  Published  by  G.  Schirmer,  New  York.    Price  6  cents. 


128     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

Then  all  the  groups  in  costume  surrounding 
the  Tree  sing  "  Christians,  Sing  Out  with 
Exultation,"  by  Will  MacFarlane.* 

The  lights  come  up,  dazzlingly,  and  the  cos- 
tumed group  sings  "  Love  of  All  the  Ages," 
by  Frederic  Field  Bullard.f 

Then  the  costumed  groups  about  the  Tree, 
and  the  carol  singers  in  the  audience  sing  to- 
gether, "  Carol,  Carol,  Christians,"  by  Edith 
R.  Noyes,  or  "  Everywhere  Christmas, 
Christmas  Tonight,"  by  Phillips  Brooks.J 

Then  the  lights  die  out,  only  the  great  star 
remaining,  and  the  celebration  is  over. 

AN  AJLLIED  CHRISTMAS 

Note. — An  Allied  Christmas  can  be  given 
by  having  the  National  Hymns  of  the  Allies 
sung  about  the  Community  Christmas  Tree. 
The  leader  of  each  carol-singing  group 
should  carry  one  of  the  national  flags  of  the 

•Published  by  Charles  Ditson  Co.,   New  York.     Price  15 

cents. 

f  Published  by  Charles  Ditson  Co.,  New  York,  at  10  cents, 
t  Published  by  Charles  Ditson  Co.,  New  York,  at  10  cents. 


CHRISTMAS  CELEBRATIONS  129 

Allies — English,  French,  Italian,  Belgian, 
etc. 

The  members  of  each  group  should,  if 
practicable,  wear  the  characteristic  costumes 
of  the  nation  they  represent;  possibly,  if  the 
idea  does  not  jar  too  much  with  that  of 
Christmas,  each  group  might  contain  men 
in  the  uniforms  of  soldiers  of  each  nation. 

The  National  Hymns  of  the  Allies  can  be 
had  from  G.  Schirmer,  music  publisher,  New 
York  City,  for  50  cents  net. 

A  YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  COMMUNITY  CHRISTMAS 

A  bugle  blows  three  times,  and  under  the 
Community  Christmas  Tree,  which  is  already 
lit,  Uncle  Sam  appears,  wearing  his  tra- 
ditional costume,  and  over  it  a  long  blue 
cloak.  He  should  not  be  a  comic  figure, 
but  a  genial  figure  who  can  on  occasion  be 
grave. 

Again  the  bugle  sounds  three  times,  and 
St.  Nicholas  appears,  and  is  greeted  by 
Uncle  Sam.  St.  Nicholas  wears  the  tradi- 
tional mediaeval  costume,  long  scarlet  pointed- 


130     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

sleeve  tunic  to  his  ankles,  scarlet  pointed 
shoes,  a  golden  miter  on  his  white  hair.  He 
carries  a  golden  crozier  in  his  hand. 

With  this  staff  he  touches  a  bell  that  is 
hung  on  the  Christmas  Tree  and  in  answer 
to  its  summons  the  figures  in  the  Christmas 
pageant  begin  to  appear.  A  way  must  be 
kept  clear  for  them,  so  they  can  circle  about 
the  Tree,  and  so  they  can  make  varied  en- 
trances. All  those  taking  part  in  the  Christ- 
mas celebration  wear  costumes  made  of 
silesia  or  canton  flannel  or  like  material 
worn  over  their  everyday  clothes  in  case  the 
weather  is  cold.  In  milder  climates  this  will 
not  be  necessary.  For  this  reason  care 
should  be  taken  with  the  lines  of  the  cos- 
tumes so  that  they  will  not  appear  bunched 
or  bundlelike. 

First  comes  the  Christmas  Tree  Fairy,  as 
beautiful  as  possible,  in  white,  with  silver 
tinsel,  and  shimmering  wings  and  carrying 
a  wand. 

At  her  summons  the  Frost  Fairies  enter, 
clad  in  white  and  silver,  both  little  boys  and 


CHRISTMAS  CELEBRATIONS  131 

little  girls.  They  make  obeisance  to  St. 
Nicholas,  and  sing  "  Jolly  Old  St.  Nicholas," 
which  can  be  found  in  any  school  singing 
book  or  school  reader. 

Next,  in  answer  to  summons,  a  stately  pro- 
cession appears,  The  Mistletoe  Maidens, 
wearing  white  Greek  robes,  with  pastel-green 
cloaks  the  color  of  mistletoe  leaves.  They 
carry  tall  white  wands.  They  sing  the 
first  verse  of  "  In  the  Bleak  Midwinter," 
by  Lucina  Jewell,  repeating  it  twice.  (No. 
13,055,  Six  Christmas  Carols,  Eighth  Series. 
Charles  H.  Ditson  Co.,  New  York  City. 
Price  5  cents.) 

Again  the  Christmas  Tree  Fairy  summons 
the  next  group,  and  the  Evergreen  Elves 
appear,  little  boys  in  dark  green  elfin  suits, 
with  tall  peaked  caps,  carrying  ropes  of  ever- 
green. They  sing  Phillips  Brooks'  "  Every- 
where Christmas,  Christmas  Tonight,"  the 
first  verse  only. 

The  Fairy  summons  the  next  group,  the 
Snow  Flakes,  all  in  white.  They  are  led  by 
a  grotesque  Snow  Man,  with  jolly  antics. 


132     PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

They  sing  "  Hark  to  the  Merry  Christmas 
Bells!"*  all  the  verses,  but  not  the  chorus. 

Last  of  all  the  Fairy  summons  the  Holly 
Berries,  children  in  gay  scarlet  suits,  with 
scarlet  caps  wreathed  with  holly  leaves.  They 
sing  the  first  verse  and  chorus  of  "  Merry 
Christmas."  f 

All  the  costumed  singers  then  stand 
grouped  about  the  Tree,  and  everyone  sings 
"  The  Star-Spangled  Banner."  {  If  possible, 
the  white  electric  lights  that  light  the  Tree 
should  at  this  point  be  reinforced  by  blue 
and  red  electric  lights. 

With  the  singing  of  "  The  Star-Spangled 
Banner "  the  festival  ends. 

For  other  celebrations  interesting  material 
may  be  found  in  the  following,  all  of  which 
is  by  American  writers  or  composers: 

*  This  carol  is  in  No.  13,213,  Six  Christmas  Carols,  Ninth 
Series.  Charles  H.  Ditson  Co.,  New  York.  Price  5  cents. 

f  No.  12,842  in  Six  Christmas  Carols,  Seventh  Series.  Charles 
H.  Ditson  Co.,  New  York.  Price  5  cents. 

J "  America "  is  not  used  here  because  its  antecedents  are 
the  German  "  Heil  Dir  Im  Siegerkranz  "  and  the  English  "  God 
Save  the  King,"  so  it  is  better  to  use  the  "Star  Spangled 
Banner  "  or  "  Hail  Columbia "  when  referring  to  America  in 
festivals  and  plays. 


CHRISTMAS  CELEBRATIONS  133 

Tryste  Noel.  By  Frederic  Field  Bullard. 
Published  by  Charles  H.  Ditson  Co.,  New 
York.  Price  12  cents. 

Six  Christmas  Carols  (Third  Series).  By 
Arthur  Foote.  Charles  H.  Ditson  Co.,  New 
York.  (No.  11,982.)  Price  5  cents. 

It  Came  upon  the  Midnight  Clear.  By 
Horatio  W.  Parker.  Charles  H.  Ditson  Co., 
New  York.  Price  20  cents. 

Christmas  Songs  and  Carols.  By  Kate 
Douglas  Wiggin.  Charles  H.  Ditson  Co., 
New  York.  Price  10  cents. 

Night  of  the  Star.  A  Cycle.  By  Mar- 
garet Ruthven  Lang.  Charles  H.  Ditson 
Co.,  New  York.  Price  40  cents. 

OTHER    AMERICAN     DRAMATIC     MATERIAL     FOR 
OUTDOOR   CELEBRATIONS 

The  Evergreen  Tree.  A  Christmas  Com- 
munity Masque  by  Percy  Mackaye.  Music 
by  Arthur  Farwell.  Published  by  Apple- 
ton  &  Co.,  New  York.  $2.00  net.  Can  be 
given  either  in  a  long  or  a  short  version. 

The   Seven   Gifts.     By    Stuart    Walker. 


Given  out  of  doors  in  Madison  Square,  New 
York,  in  connection  with  the  Tree  of  Light 
celebration.  Can  be  found  in  McCall's  Maga- 
zine for  Christmas,  1915,  or  can  be  had  by 
addressing  Stuart  Walker,  Portmanteau 
Theatre  Office,  Carnegie  Hall,  New  York. 

The  Pageant  of  Months.  By  Longfellow. 
Found  in  any  complete  selection  of  his  works. 
Can  be  acted  out  of  doors  at  the  Christmas 
Tree. 

The  Gift  of  Time.  A  Christmas  Masque, 
from  The  Forest  Princess  and  Other 
Masques.  By  Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay. 
Published  by  Henry  Holt  and  Company. 
$1.35  net.  Is  also  adaptable  for  indoor  use 
at  Christmas. 

FOR  INDOOR  USE 

The  material  given  above  may  be  adapted 
for  indoor  use.  Also  practical  for  indoor 
use  is  A  Christmas  Masque,  by  Constance 
D'Arcy  Mackay,  from  The  Forest  Princess 
and  Other  Masques.  Published  by  Henry 
Holt  and  Company.  $1.35  net. 


CHRISTMAS  CELEBRATIONS  185 

For  Young  People 

Christmas  Candles.  A  book  of  Christmas 
Plays,  by  Elsie  Hobart  Carter.  Henry  Holt 
and  Company.  $1.50  net. 

Christmas  Eve  with  Charles  Dickens,  from 
Little  Plays  About  Famous  Authors,  by 
Maude  Morrison  Franck.  Henry  Holt  and 
Company.  $1.00  net. 

The  Christmas  Guest  and  On  Christmas 
Eve,  from  The  House  of  the  Heart,  by  Con- 
stance D'Arcy  Mackay.  Henry  Holt  and 
Company.  $1.20  net. 


BY     CONSTANCE     D'ARCY     MACKAY 

THE  LITTLE  THEATRE  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Illustrated.    With  index.    Large  izmo.    $2.00  net. 
COSTUMES  AND  SCENERY  FOR  AMATEURS 

With  numerous  illustrations  and  index.  Large  izmo.  $1.75 
net. 

HOW  TO  PRODUCE  CHILDREN'S  PLAYS 

I2mo.    $1.30  net. 

PLAYS 

THE  BEAU  OF  BATH  and  Other  One- Act  Play* 
The  Silver  Lining,  Ashes  of  Roses,  Gretna  Green,  Counsel 
Retained,   The  Prince  of  Court  Painters.     Plays  for  amateurs 
and    for   Little   Theatres.     With    illustrations    after   Reynolds, 
Humphrey  and  Romney.     izmo.    $1.30  net. 

THE  FOREST  PRINCESS  and  Other  Masque* 

The  Gift  of  Time  (a  Christmas  Masque),  A  Masque  of  Con- 
servation, The  Masque  of  Pomona,  A  Christmas  Masque,  The 
Sun  Goddess,  A  Masque  of  Old  Japan,  The  Revival  of  the 
Masque,  supplemented  by  papers  on  Costumes  for  Masques  and 
Music  for  Masques,  izmo.  $1.35  net. 

PATRIOTIC  PLAYS  AND  OTHER  PAGEANTS 

The  Pageant  of  Patriotism  and  The  Havjthorne  Pageant. 
Both  are  given  in  versions  for  outdoor  and  for  indoor  per- 
formance, and  arranged  so  that  they  can  be  split  up  into  short 
plays,  izmo.  $1.35  net. 

THE  HOUSE  OF  THE  HEART 

Short  plays  in  verse  for  children  of  fourteen  or  younger:— 
The  House  of  the  Heart  (Morality  Play),  The  Enchanted  Gar- 
den (Flower  Play),  ,4  Little  Pilgrim's  Progress  (Morality  Play), 
A  Pageant  of  Hours  (to  be  given  out  of  doors),  On  Christmas 
Eve,  The  Princess  and  the  Pixies,  The  Christmas  Guest 
.(Miracle  Play),  etc.  i6mo.  $1.20  net. 

THE  SILVER  THREAD  and  Other  Folk  Play* 

The  Silver  Thread  (Cornish),  The  Forest  Spring  (Italian), 
The  Foam  Maiden  (Celtic),  Troll  Magic  (Norwegian),  The 
Three  Wishes  (French),  A  Brewing  of  Brains  (English), 
Siegfried  (German),  The  Snoiu  Witch  (Russian).  i6mo.  $1.20 
net. 

HENRY     HOLT      AND      COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


TWO  BOOKS  BY  CONSTANCE  D'ARCY  MACKAY 


COSTUMES  AND  SCENERY  FOR  AMATEURS 

A  Practical  Working  Handbook  with  over  70  illustrations  and 
full  index.  258  pp.  izmo.  $1.75  net. 

A  book  that  has  long  been  needed.  It  concludes  chap- 
ters on  Amateurs  and  the  New  Stage  Art,  Costumes,  and 
Scenery,  but  consists  mainly  of  simple  outline  designs  for 
costumes  for  historical  plays,  particularly  American 
Pageants,  folk,  fairy,  and  romantic  plays  —  also  of  scenes, 
including  interiors,  exteriors,  and  a  scheme  for  a  Greek 
Theatre,  all  drawn  to  scale.  Throughout  the  book  color 
schemes,  economy,  and  simplicity  are  kept  constantly  in 
view,  and  ingenious  ways  are  given  to  adapt  the  same 
costumes  or  scenes  to  several  different  uses. 

HOW  TO  PRODUCE  CHILDREN'S  PLAYS 

The  author  is  a  recognized  authority  on  the  production 
of  plays  and  pageants  in  the  public  schools,  and  combines 
enthusiastic  sympathy  with  sound,  practical  instructions. 
She  tells  both  how  to  inspire  and  care  for  the  young  actor, 
how  to  make  costumes,  properties,  scenery,  where  to  find 
designs  for  them,  what  music  to  use,  etc.,  etc.  She  pre- 
faces it  all  with  an  interesting  historical  sketch  of  the 
plays-for-children  movement,  includes  elaborate  detailed 
analyses  of  performances  of  Browning's  Pied  Piper  and 
Rosetti's  Pageant  of  the  Months,  and  concludes  with 
numerous  valuable  analytical  lists  of  plays  for  various 
grades  and  occasions.  $\.y^net. 

New  York  Times  Review:  "It  will  be  useful  .  .  .  practical 
advice." 

Magazine  of  General  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs:  "There 
seems  to  be  nothing  she  has  forgotten  to  mention.  Every  club 
program  chairman  should  have  it." 


HENRY     HOLT    AND     COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


NOTEWORTHY     DRAMA      BOOKS 

Clayton  Hamilton'.  PROBLEMS  OF  THE  PLAYWRIGHT 

This  is  probably  even  more  interesting  than  the  author's 
popular  Theory  of  the  Theatre  or  than  his  Studies  in  Stagecraft 
and  is  somewhat  longer  and  more  varied  than  either  of  its 
predecessors.  It  represents  the  best  of  his  work  for  several 
recent  years.  $i.6onet. 

Constance  d'Arcy  Mackay's  THE  LITTLE  THEATRE  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES 

An  intensely  interesting  book  on  the  most  promising  develop- 
ment in  The  American  Theatre,  by  a  high  authority.  She  tells 
of  nearly  sixty  of  these  little  theatres,  including  something  of 
their  repertory,  and  has  interesting  supplementary  discussions 
of  The  New  Theatre,  The  Northampton  Municipal  Theatre, 
Repertory,  etc.  With  illustrations  of  buildings,  scenery,  etc., 
and  full  index.  Uniform  with  the  author's  "Costumes  and 
Scenery  for  Amateurs."  $2.00  net. 

Arthur  E.  Kro ws's  PLAY  PRODUCTION  IN  AMERICA 

With  numerous  and  unusual  illustrations  and  full  index. 
$2.25  net. 

Dramatic  Mirror:  "Any  would-be  playwright  or  actor 
should  not  proceed  until  he  has  read  and  'carefully  digested' 
this  book.  There  is  not  a  detail  in  the  realm  of  writing  a 
play  or  in  the  art  of  acting  that  is  not  made  plain  and  valuable 
.  .  .  full  of  vital  information. 
Richard  Burton's  BERNARD  SHAW:  The  Man  and  the  Mask 

By  the  author  of  "How  to  See  a  Play,"  etc.  With  Index. 
$1.60  net. 

Archibald  Henderson,  author  of  the  standard  biography  of 
Shaw,  calls  Dr.  Burton's  book— "The  best  introduction  to 
Bernard  Shaw  in  print.  Nootherbook  gives  an  analysis  and 
study  of  each  play  .  .  .  genius  of  simplicity  of  expression 
and  effectiveness  in  interpretation." 

Fanny  Cannon's  WRITING  AND  SELLING  A  PLAY 

Probably  the  most  common-sense  and  practical  book  on  its 
subject,  which  the  author  knows  from  the  inside  as  actress, 
manageress,  playwright,  and  "  play-doctor."  She  warns  the 
writer  of  the  many  "  breaks  "  that  cause  rejection,  gives  de- 
tailed constructive  advice,  tells  him  how  to  look  out  for  his 
rights,  includes  a  model  contract,  two  detailed  scenarios,  and  a 
bibliography  of  reference  books  and  plays.  I2mo.  With  full 
index.  $1.50  net. 

Hartford  Cottrant:  ".  .  .  this  rare  book  .  .  .  the  author  has  the 
lessons  she  would  convey  at  tongue's  end  and  in  orderly  brain  arrange- 
ment. .  .  .  She  teaches  so  lucidly  and  with  person  fascination.  ..." 
83^-The  Publishers  will  send  free  on  application  their  DESCRIP- 
TIVE LEAFLET  OF  DRAMA  BOOKS 

HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


Josephine  Thorp  and  Rosamond  Kimball's 

PATRIOTIC  PAGEANTS  OF  TODAY 

By  Miss  Thorp:  THE  ANSWER,  A  Patriotic  Festival.  WHEN 
LIBERTY  CALLS,  A  Pageant  of  The  Allies.  THE  TORCH,  A 
Pageant  of  Democracy. 

By  Miss  Kiraball:  THE  CALL  OF  THE  YOUTH  OF  AMERICA,  A 
Patriotic  Exercise  for  Boys  and  Girls  of  all  ages. 

These  pageants  have  had  repeated  and  successful  perform- 
ance.    Full  directions  for  their  simple  staging,  costuming  and 
music  are  given.    12mo.    $1.00  net. 
Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay's 

PATRIOTIC  DRAMA  IN  YOUR  TOWN 

By  the  author  of  "The  Little  Theatre  in  The  United  States," 
"Costumes  and  Scenery  for  Amateurs,"  etc.  16mo.  $1.35  net. 
(October,  1918.) 

Miss  Mackay  sketches  the  main  essentials  -with  which  any 
fair-sized  town  may  have  .pageants,  A  Little  Theatre,  or  an 
Outdoor  Theatre.  She  also  gives  detailed  suggestions  for  com- 
munity Fourth  of  July  and  Christmas  Celebrations,  and  shows 
how  such  celebrations  bring  a  community  into  closer  relation 
and  make  better  Americans. 
Alice  Johnston  Walker's 

LAFAYETTE,   COLUMBUS  and  THE  LONG  KNIVES 
IN  ILLINOIS.    Plays  for  Young  Folk. 

By  the  author  of  "Little  Plays  from  American  History.  16mo. 
Probable  price,  $1.50  net  (February,  1919.) 

These  plays  take  from  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half,  and 
have  been  tested  by  performance.     Each  contains  a  number  of 
very    picturesque,    tho    easily    made    settings.  f  George    Rogers 
Clark  the  frontiersman  is  the  leading  character  in  the  last. 
Louis  Calvert's  PROBLEMS  OF  THE  ACTOR 

With  Introduction  by  Clayton  Hamilton  and  index.    $1.60  net. 

Mr.   Hamilton  says  this  books  shows  "the  great  love  for  a. 
great  thing  that  has  been  felt  by  a  great  man,"  and  Mr.  John 
Corbin   in    The   Times  calls   it,   "The  best  book  on   acting  in 
English  .    .   .  teems  with  happy  anecdotes." 
Romain  Rolland's 

THE  FOURTEENTH  OF  JULY  AND  DANTON 

Plays    of   the    French    Revolution    for    a    People's    Theatre. 
Authorized   edition   translated   by  BARRETT  H.   CLARK.     12mo. 
$1.50  net     (August,  1918.) 
Romain  Rolland's  THE  PEOPLE'S  THEATRE 

Authorized  edition  translated  by  BARRETT  H.  CLARK.  12mo. 
Probable  price,  $1.35  net.  (In  Press.) 

The  author  here  touches  on  many  vital  aspects  of  such  a  play- 
house of  which  Americans  have  but  very  recently  become 
conscious.  While  not  hesitating  to  shatter  idols,  he  has  a 
constructive  program  too,  and  ends  up  "Everything  remains 
to  be  done." 

HENRY        HOLT        AND         COMPANY 
19  West  44th  Street  (viii  '18)  New  York 


By     GEORGE     MIDDLETON 

Co-author  of  ' '  Polly  with  a  Past  ' ' 

THE    ROAD    TOGETHER 

An  American  Drama  in  Four  Acts.    $1.20  net. 

New  York  Sun:  "  Of  all  American  dramatists,  acted  and  unacted,  few 
have  a  better  right  to  serious  consideration  than  jGeorge  Middleton 
.  .  .  four  acts  of  cleverly  contrived  situations,  adroit  dialogue  and 
cumulative  interest  .  .  .  worked  out  with  a  clear  purpose  and  a  fine 
sense  of  dramatic  values.  .  .  ." 

POSSESSION 

With  THE  GROOVE,  THE  BLACK  TIE,  A  GOOD  WOMAN,  CIRCLES 
and  THE  UNBORN.  One-act  American  Plays.  $1.35. 

New  York  Times:  "  Brief,  tense,  filled  with  an  understanding  sym 
pathy  for  woman  ...  a  striking  presentation  of  the  stuff  that  life 
is  made  of." 

EMBERS 

With  THE  FAILURES,  THE  GARGOYLE,  IN  His  HOUSE,  MA- 
DONNA and  THE  MAN  MASTERFUL.  One-act  American 
Plays.  $1.35. 

PROF.  WILLIAM  LYON  PHELPS  of  Yale:  "  The  plays  are  admirable; 
the  conversations  have  the  true  style  of  human  speech,  and  show  first- 
rate  economy  of  words,  every  syllable  advancing  the  plot.  The  little 
dramas  are  full  of  cerebration,  and  I  shall  recommend  them  in  my 
public  lectures." 

TRADITION 

With  ON  BAIL,  MOTHERS,  WAITING,  THEIR  WIFE  and  THE 
CHEAT  OF  PITY.  One-act  American  Plays.  $1.35. 

New  York  Times:  "  Mr.  Middleton's  plays  furnish  interesting  read- 
ing. .  .  .  The  author  deserves  praise  for  his  skill  and  workmanship 
.  .  .  succeeds  admirably  as  a  chronicler  of  striking  events  and  as  an 
interpreter  of  exceptional  people  in  exceptional  circumstances." 

NOWADAYS 

A  three-act  comedy  of  American  Life.    $1.20. 

The  Nation:  "  Without  a  shock  or  a  thrill  in  it,  but  steadily  interest- 
ing and  entirely  human.  All  the  characters  are  depicted  with  fidelity 
and  consistency;  the  dialogue  is  good  and  the  plot  logical." 


HENRY     HOLT      AND      COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


SHORT  PLAYS  ABOUT  FAMOUS  AUTHORS 

(Goldsmith,  Dickens,  Heine,  Fannie  Burney,  Shakespeare) 

BY  MAUDE  MORRISON  FRANK.    #1.35  net. 

THE  MISTAKE  AT  THE  MANOR  shows  the  fifteen-year-old 
Goldsmith  in  the  midst  of  the  humorous  incident  in  his  life  which 
later  formed  the  basis  of  "She  Stoops  to  Conquer." 

A  CHRISTMAS  EVE  WITH  CHARLES  DICKENS  reveals  the  author 
as  a  poor  factory  boy  in  a  lodging-house,  dreaming  of  an  old- 
time  family  Christmas. 

WHEN  HEINE  WAS  TWENTY-ONE  dramatizes  the  early  disobe- 
dience of  the  author  in  writing  poetry  against  his  uncle's  orders. 

Miss  BURNEY  AT  COURT  deals  with  an  interesting  incident  in 
the  life  of  the  author  of  "Evelina"  when  she  was  at  the  Court 
of  George  III. 

THE  FAIRIES'  PLEA,  which  is  an  adaptation  of  Thomas  Hood's 
poem,  shows  Shakespeare  intervening  to  save  the  fairies  from 
the  scythe  of  Time. 

Designed  in  general  for  young  people  near  enough  to  the 
college  age  to  feel  an  interest  in  the  personal  and  human  as- 
pects of  literature,  but  the  last  two  could  easily  be  handled  by 
younger  actors.  They  can  successfully  be  given  by  groups  or 
societies  of  young  people  without  the  aid  of  a  professional  coach. 

LITTLE  PLAYS  FROM  AMERICAN  HISTORY 

FOR  YOUNG  FOLKS 
BY  ALICE  JOHNSTONE  WALKER.    $1.20  net. 

HIDING  THE  REGICIDES,  a  number  of  brief  and  stirring  episodes, 
concerning  the  pursuit  of  Colonels  Whalley  and  Goff  by  the 
officers  of  Charles  II  at  New  Haven  in  old  colony  days. 

MRS.  MURRAY'S  DINNER  PARTY,  in  three  acts,  is  a  lively  comedy 
about  a  Patriot  hostess  and  British  Officers  in  Revolutionary 
Days. 

SCENES  FROM  LINCOLN'S  TIME;  the  martyred  President  does  not 
himself  appear.  They  cover  Lincoln's  helping  a  little  girl  with 
her  trunk,  women  preparing  lint  for  the  wounded,  a  visit  to  the 
White  House  of  an  important  delegation  from  New  York,  and 
of  the  mother  of  a  soldier  boy  sentenced  to  death — and  the  com- 
ing of  the  army  of  liberation  to  the  darkies. 

Tho  big  events  are  touched  upon,  the  mounting  of  all  these 
little  plays  is  simplicity  itself,  and  they  have  stood  the  test  of 
frequent  school  performance. 

HENRY    HOLT      AND      (COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NBW  YORK 


BY  CLAYTON   HAMILTON 

Each  book  fully  indexed.    12mo.    $1.60  net. 

PROBLEMS  OF  THE  PLAYWRIGHT 

Building  a  Play  Backward ;  Surprise  in  the  Drama ;  The 
Troublesome  Last  Act;  High  Comedy  in  America;  The  George 
M.  Cohan  School  of  Playrights;  Middle  Class  Opinion;  Criti- 
cism and  Creation  in  the  Drama;  Dramatic  Talent  and  Theat- 
rical Talent;  The  Plays  of  Lord  Dunsany;  Romance  and 
Realism  in  the  Drama;  Scenic  Settings  in  America;  The  New 
Stagecraft;  The  Non-Commercial  Drama;  A  Democratic  Insur- 
rection in  the  Theatre ;  A  Scheme  for  a  Stock  Company ;  What's 
Wrong  with  the  American  Drama,  etc.,  etc. 

Prof.  Brander  Matthews,  in  the  Bookman:  .  .  .Mr.  Hamilton  and 
Mr.  Archer — like  Lessing  and  like  Sarcey — have  a  broad  background  of 
culture.  .  .  .  They  never  stray  into  the  dusty  paths  of  pedantry.  .  .  . 
Consistently  interesting  because  it  has  the  support  of  knowledge  and 
the  savour  of  individuality." 

STUDIES  IN  STAGECRAFT 

The  New  Art  of  Making  Plays,  The  Pictorial  Stage,  The 
Modern  Art  of  Stage  Direction,  A  Plea  for  a  New  Type  of 
Play,  The  Undramatic  Drama,  The  Supernatural  Drama,  The, 
Irish  National  Theatre,  Where  to  Begin  a  Play,  A  New  Defense 
of  Melodrama,  The  Art  of  the  Moving-Picture  Play,  The  One- 
Act  Play  in  America,  Organizing  an  Audience,  etc.,  etc. 

Nation:  "Information,  alertness,  coolness,  sanity  and  the  command 
of  a  forceful  and  pointed  English.  ...  A  good  book,  in  spite  of 
all  deductions." 

Prof.  Archibald  Henderson,  in  The  Drama:  "University  excellent  in 
quality.  .  .  .  Continually  interesting  in  presentation  ...  uniform  for 
high  excellence  and  elevated  standards.  ..." 

THE  THEORY  OF  THE  THEATRE 

What  is  a  Play? — The  Psychology  of  Theatre  Audiences. — 
The  Actor  and  the  Dramatist. — Stage  Conventions  in  Modern 
Times. — The  Four  Leading  Types  of  Drama. — The  Modern 
Social  Drama,  and  Other  Principles  of  Dramatic  Criticism. — 
The  Public  and  the  Dramatist. — Dramatic  Art  and  the  Theatre 
Business. — Dramatic  Literature  and  Theatric  Journalism. — 
Pleasant  and  Unpleasant  Plays. — Themes  in  the  Theatre. — The 
Function  of  Imagination,  etc.,  etc. 

Bookman:  "Presents  coherently  a  more  substantial  body  of  idea  on 
the  subject  than  perhaps  elsewhere  accessible. 

Boston  Transcript:  "At  every  moment  of  his  discussion  he  has  a 
firm  grasp  upon  every  phase  of  the  subject." 

HENRY    HOLT    AND    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


BY       BARRETT       H.        CLARK 

THE  CONTINENTAL  DRAMA  OF  TO-DAY 

Outlines  for  Its  Study 

Suggestions,  questions,  biographies,  and  bibliographies 
with  outlines,  of  half  a  dozen  pages  or  less  each,  of  the 
more  important  plays  of  twenty-four  Continental  dram- 
atists. While  intended  to  be  used  in  connection  with  a 
reading  of  the  plays  themselves,  the  book  has  an  inde- 
pendent interest.  12mo.  $1.75  net. 

Prof.  William  Lyon  P helps,  of  Yale:  ".  .  .  One  of  the  most 
useful  works  on  the  contemporary  drama.  .  .  .  Extremely  prac- 
tical, full  of  valuable  hints  and  suggestions.  .  .  ." 

BRITISH  &f  AMERICAN  DRAMA  OF  TO-DAY 

Outlines  for  Its  Study 

Suggestions,  biographies  and  bibliographies,  together 
with  historical  sketches,  for  use  in  connection  with  the 
important  plays  of  Pinero,  Jones,  Wilde,  Shaw,  Barker, 
Hankin,  Chambers,  Davies,  Galsworthy,  Masefield, 
Houghton,  Bennett,  Phillips,  Barrie,  Yeats,  Boyle,  Baker, 
Sowerby,  Francis,  Lady  Gregory,  Synge,  Murray,  Ervine, 
Howard,  Herne,  Thomas,  Gillette,  Fitch,  Moody, 
Mackaye,  Sheldon,  Kenyon,  Walters,  Cohan,  etc.  I2mo. 
$1.75  net. 

THREE  MODERN  PLAYS  FROM  THE  FRENCH 

Lemaitre's  The  Pardon  and  Lavedan's  Prince  D'Aurec, 
translated  by  Barrett  H.  Clark,  with  Donnay's  The 
Other  Danger,  translated  by  Charlotte  Tenney  David, 
with  an  Introduction  to  each  author  by  Barrett  H.  Clark 
and  a  Preface  by  Clayton  Hamilton.  One  volume. 
Unto.  $1.75  net. 

Springfield  Republican:  "'The  Prince  d'Aurec*  is  one  of  his 
best  and  most  representative  plays.  It  is  a  fine  character  crea- 
tion. .  .  .  'The  Pardon'  must  draw  admiration  for  its  remark- 
able technical  efficiency.  .  .  .  'The  Other  Danger'  is  a  work 
of  remarkable  craftsmanship." 

HENRY    HOLT    AND    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


PLAYS    BY    THREE    AMERICANS 

Beulah  M.  Dix's  ACROSS  THE  BORDER 

A  dream  play  suggested  by  the  present  war.    $1.00  net. 

Clayton  Hamilton:  "The  best  of  all  recent  plays  inspired 
by  the  European  War  .  .  .  highly  imaginative,  powerful  and 
touching." 

Beulah  M.  Dix's  ALLISON'S  LAD  and  Other  Martial 
Interludes 

These  one-act  episodes  of  olden  wars  include  Allison's  Lad, 
The  Hundredth  Trick,  The  Weakest  Link,  The  Snare  and  the 
Fowler,  The  Captain  of  the  Gate,  The  Dark  of  the  Dawn. 
All  the  characters  are  men  or  boys.  $1.35  net. 

Percival  Wilde's  DAWN  and  Other  One-Act  Plays 

Dawn,  The  Noble  Lord,  The  Traitor,  A  House  of  Cards, 
Playing  with  Fire  and  The  Finger  of  God.  2nd  printing. 
$1.35  net. 

Percival  Wilde's  CONFESSIONAL  and  Other  Short  Plays 

Confessional,  The  Villain  in  the  Piece,  According  to  Darwin 
(2  acts),  A  Question  of  Morality  and  The  Beautiful  Story. 

$1-35  net. 

The  Independent:  "The  subjects  are  those  of  most  interest  today,  the 
treatment  is  fresh  and  sincere,  and  the  author  shows  a  keen  sense  of 
dramatic  values." 

PLAYS  BY  GEORGE  MIDDLETON 
EMBERS  and  Other  One-Act  Plays 

Including  The  Failures,  The  Gargoyle,  In  His  House,  The 
Man  Masterful  and  Madonna.     3rd  printing.     $1.35  net. 
TRADITION  and  Other  One-Act  Plays 

Including  On  Bail,  Mothers,  Waiting,  Their  Wife  and  The 
Cheat  of  Pity.  3rd  printing.  $1.35  net 

POSSESSION  and  Other  One-Act  Play* 
Including   The   Groove,   The  Black   Tie,  A    Good   Woman, 
Circles  and  The  Unborn.    2nd  printing.    $1.35  net. 

NOWADAYS 

A  Comedy  of  American  Life  To-day.    4th  printing.    $1.20  net. 
THE  ROAD  TOGETHER 

A  four-act  play  of  married  life.     $1.20  net. 

New  York  Tribune:  "He  is  America's  only  serious  contribution  to  the 
international  drama  of  the  period  .  .  .  one  constantly  reflects  how  much 
better  it  acts  than  it  reads,  and  it  reads  exceedingly  well  " 

J@?"For  fuller  information  send  for  the  publisher's  DESCRIP- 
TIVE LIST  OF  DRAMA  BOOKS  to 

HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  IX '17  NEW  YORK 


CALVIN  THOMAS'S  GOETHE 

A  short  biography  and  chapters  on  The  Philosopher,  The 
Evolutionist,  The  Believer,  The  Poet,  The  Dramatist,  The 
Novelist,  The  Critic,  Faust.  368  pp.  12mo.  $2.00  net. 

Boston  Transcript:  "An  entertaining  account  of  the  family  life  .  .  . 
a  rather  fine  and  noble  picture  of  Goethe  himself — human  and  to  the 
life.  .  .  .  He  does  not  err  on  the  side  of  over-adulation  ...  an 
admirable  summary  of  Goethe's  services  as  a  scientist.  .  .  .  His  account 
of  'Faust/  especially  of  the  second  part,  is  highly  enlighting.  .  .  .  Just 
what  any  student  of  Goethe  and  of  German  literature  would  desire; 
clear,  fair  and  entertaining." 

CALVIN  THOMAS'S  THE  LIFE  AND  WORKS 
OF  SCHILLER 

481  pp.    12mo.    $1.75  net 

New  York  Evening  Post:  "An  eminently  sympathetic  study,  which 
will  commend  itself  to  the  general  reader  for  its  avoidance  of  the  minor 
pedantries  into  which  writers  on  German  subjects — not  excluding 
Carlyle — are  prone  to  fall." 

LESSING'S  MINNA  VON  BARNHELM 

Translated  with  an  introduction  by  PROP.  OTTO  HELLER  of 
Washington  University.    $1.00  net. 

Reedy's  Mirror:  "Dear  MINNA  might  have  stepped  out  of  a  Bernard 
Shaw  book — out  of  'Man  and  Superman.'  She  is  as  modern  as 
modernity— clever,  frank,  free,  sweet  and  womanly.  The  Major  is 
more  real  than  Major  Pendennis  and  as  adorably  stupid  in  his  almost 
Roman  virtue.  ...  A  comedy  from  which  the  cult  of  the  new  and  little 
theatres  may  still  learn.  .  .  .  From  the  quality  revealed  in  Professor 
Heller's  translation,  I  can  well  believe  that  this  is  the  most  perfect 
comedy  in  the  German  language." 

LESSING'S  NATHAN  THE  WISE 

Translated  by  ELLEN  FROTHINGHAM.    Preceded  by  a  brief 
account  of  the  Poet  and  his  Works  and  followed  by  Kuno 
Fischer's  Essay  on  the  Play.    $1.50. 
North  American  Review:     "We  heartily  commend  the  volume  as  an 

admirable   version    of    a    work    which    after    lapse    of   a    century,    still 

remains  the  unsurpassed  model  of  a  didactic  drama." 

THE  GERMAN  DRAMA  OF  THE 
NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

By  GEORG  WITKOWSKI.    Translated  by  PROF.  L.  E.  HORNING. 
12mo.    $1.00  net. 

Niw  York  Times  Review:  "The  translation  of  this  brief,  clear  and 
logical  account  was  an  extremely  happy  idea.  Nothing  at  the  same  time 
so  comprehensive  and  terse  has  appeared  on  the  subject." 

HENRY    HOLT    AND    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


Date  Due 


•IN  1  <J 


JUN     ^  1972 


PRINTED   IN    U.S.*.  CAT.      NO.      24       161 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A     000  790  703     3 


SK 


HR 


